Historical dramas usually have one thing going against them, history. How do you build a tension filled plot when everyone knows the outcome? That was Bryan Singer's biggest problem in the making of this brilliantly constructed thriller than focused on the unsuccessful attempt by a leading group of German officers to assassinate Adolf Hitler in the Summer of 1944. Bringing together an all star cast that would put most productions to shame, Singer made us invest our faith in these men who tried in vain to do the right thing.
Led by Tom Cruise as colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, a disillusioned officer who finally wakes up to the atrocities his country has committed under Hitler, he joins a secret committee…

2008 Ranked
Non-2019 First Time Watches Ranked
Directors Ranked: Bryan Singer
Writers Ranked: Christopher McQuarrie

Film #12 of my 5x5 Actors Challenge

I can't help but be disappointed by Valkyrie and I can't quite figure out why. The acting was solid, with great performances from an all-star cast that includes the likes of Bill Nighy, Kenneth Branagh, Tom Wilkinson, Eddie Izzard and of course, Mr. Tom Cruise himself. Not only that but the direction is solid; the film looks fantastic. So why didn't I like it?

The only thing I can think of is that, because I am somewhat familiar with history, I know that Hitler survived the attempt (sorry for the spoiler but you know, real life spoiled it…

Let's be honest, Valkyrie should never have worked, should it? Hollywood taking a true-life story about a heroic rebellion inside the Nazi regime during World War Two, and throwing all-American cheese meister Tom Cruise into the lead role of a German Colonel, throughout which he speaks with a traditional American brogue. Combine all those elements, it really should have been a car crash... yet it actually works really rather well, arguably down to the proven combo of director Bryan Singer and writer Christopher McQuarrie; two superb talents who rein Cruise's charm in here and allow a very dark, very tragic tale to unfold in a largely effective way. It's no spoiler to tell you at this point: there is no…

As informative as it is intriguing, Valkyrie is a finely carved, swiftly paced & well acted historical account that takes a leaflet out of the countless unforgettable events that occurred during the Second World War, and brings it to cinematic life in a tense & gripping fashion but what hinders it from making the desired impact is Tom Cruise's own star presence.

Set in 1944 during World War II, Valkyrie chronicles the path to July 20 plot, a failed assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler, that was concocted by Claus von Stauffenberg & his associates in order to remove the Nazi Party from power. The plot briefly glimpses over Stauffenberg's early life before focusing on the plans & preparations to assassinate the Führer & end the…

Tom Cruise Week - Day 7

First time watch: July 2020
Source: Netflix

Valkyrie is an example of Tom Cruises star quality and charisma acting against him. With relative historical accuracy the film depicts a plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler through an operation involving Claus Van Stauffenberg (Cruise) as a key player. Whilst providing a lacklustre and unremarkable performance Cruise appears illsuited for the role of a German Colonel and is more of a name on a poster as opposed to right actor for the role.

It's not necessarily Cruises fault. The script (written by Christopher McQuarrie and Nathan Alexander) fails to produce any genuine character to get behind and instead places our interest in his actions. There is no…

“God promised Abraham that he would not destroy Sodom if he could find ten righteous men... I have a feeling that for Germany it may come down to one.”
-Henning von Tresckow.

Valkyrie is a film that I did not like when first watching it awhile back, as I thought it was very bland as well as extremely boring, but that was because nine year old me was only interested in the Tom Cruise style action I had been getting from the Mission Impossible movies at that time. (God I wish I could go back in time and punch myself) But seeing that it was on Netflix the other night and I hadn’t watched it in awhile, I decided to…

Otherwise known as Nazi: Impossible.

Firstly, fuck Bryan Singer. Secondly, if there was a comic book movie in the 2000s, chances are Singer directed it. Ushering in a new age of superhero films with X-Men in 2000 and its sequel in 2003, things were looking up. Then Superman Returns came out in 2006. Critics and audiences were divided while the return on investment was not what Warner Bros. had anticipated for a film about Superman. Thus, Valkyrie was Singer's first movie since 1998's Apt Pupil not to be based on a comic book. How fitting that the film he made before X-Men was about Nazis and the film he made after Superman Returns was also about Nazis.

Valkyrie, written by…