Year :
2008
Genre :
Thriller
Film Director : Bryan Singer
Duration : 120 minutes
Written by :
Christopher McQuarrie, Nathan Alexander
Language :
English
Starring : Tom Cruise
Kenneth
Branagh
Bill Nighy
Tom Wilkinson
Carice van Houten
Terrence Stamp
Valkyrie
is an adaptation of a true story that happened on July 20, 1944. This
historical thriller type movie that was released in 2008. Directed by renowned
director Bryan Singer, the film has set in Nazi Germany during World War II and
tells the uprising that occurred on July 20, 1944 by German army officers to
assassinate Adolf Hitler. Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, one of the main rebel
leader played by handsome actor Tom Cruise. Meanwhile, the Dutch actress Carice
van Houten plays Colonel von Stauffenberg's wife and ruthless leader Adolf
Hitler played by David Bamber.
When
World War II blaze, Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg seriously injured when the
Royal Air Force attacked Nazi forces in Africa. He lost his right hand, several
fingers on his left hand and left eye. Elsewhere, Major General Henning von
Tresckow, tried to kill Adolf Hitler by placing a bomb in a box which he handed
to the French drink one member of the group, Colonel Brandt. However, the bomb
did not explode. Tresckow flies to Berlin to pick up the box from Brandt. After
learning that one of the secret committee member arrested Major General Hans
Oster Gestapo, Tresckow asked his friend, Gen. Friedrich Olbricht to find a
replacement for Oster. Olbricht then appointed Stauffenberg, and introduced him
to a secret committee meeting attended Ludwig Beck, Dr.. Carl Goerdeler, and
Erwin von Witzleben.
In
an effort to Hitler's assassination, Stauffenberg, in collaboration with
Major-General Henning von Tresckow (Kenneth Branagh) and General Friedrich
Olbricht (Bill Nighy) and some of the political elite. However, they have to
face the General Friedrich Fromm (Tom Wilkinson). It's hard to kill Hitler
because he was surrounded by people who are loyal and are maintaining the
safety of the Führer. Finally formulated a bombing in Rastenburg, East Prussia.
At a place called Wolf's Lair (Wolfsschanze) when Hitler held a meeting to
discuss military action with the top brass. Stauffenberg included present at
the meeting. At the appointed time, accompanied Stauffenberg aides, Lieutenant
Werner von Haeften successfully detonates a bomb packed in a briefcase and
placed in the position closest to Hitler. After the bomb exploded and killed
Hitler assumes Stauffenberg, he immediately contacted the General Olbricht to
immediately activate the operation Valkyrie.
However,
the expected Hitler killed only suffered minor injuries in the blast. And
shortly thereafter immediately smell a coup attempt. Network "The German
Resistance" became the target of the army loyal to Hitler. Automatic coup
attempt using Military Operation Valkyrie failed, the panic occurred in the
rebel group. The failure of the coup attempt was also due to the lack of communication
tools that support factors play an important role for the success of the
mission. Power is not enough just to "muzzle", but also the mastery
of communication channels. When the communication channels are closed, they are
instantly paralyzed. Josef Goebbels (who served as "minister of
information"), he was one of the most loyal to Hitler, on the same day
ordered the radio station reported that Hitler survived the assassination
attempt. Information through radio broadcasts is an impact for those who are
pro-Hitler and the rebels.
At
midnight, the coup leaders who were in the building Bendlerblock, the Defense
Department's office of the German government at the time, was arrested. They
are General Olbricht, Colonel Stauffenberg, Lieutenant Haeftner, and Colonel
Mertz Quirnherm. Ludwig Beck chose to commit suicide in front of the soldiers
who are still loyal to Hitler. On the Eastern Front, Major General von Tresckow
committed suicide with a hand grenade after he learned the Military Operation
Valkyrie failed. Then the majority of these gang members were arrested,
including Erwin von Witzleben, and Carl Goerdeler candidate for chancellor of
Germany formed the rebels. They were executed.
The
film Valkyrie is a very interesting movie to watch. Filled with heroic actions
as well as knowledge of the history. One thing that makes this film unique is
the fact that this film is a German film history, but a sense of America, as
the director and most of the players are American. The scenes were inspired
from the real story was able to hypnotize people who watch this film to feel
the atmosphere of cruelty and horrors committed by the Nazis at the time.
Valkyrie are full of history is worth a watch for students to study science of
international relations. In addition to be entertaining, this film certainly
will add to the knowledge of the history of the world.
Valkyrie
is a movie closely associated to the WWII history within German walls. It is a
story of assassination attempt on “der Fuhrer Adolf Hitler” by Colonel Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg. It is
plotted based on a true story, happening in mostly Berlin, Germany during the
1943 – 1944 World War II times. It is pictured quite clearly in the movie how
the Germans at that time were obedient to Der Fuhrer, this is greatly
visualized early in the movie during the opening where the oath of German
soldiers was viewed. Comparing the movie’s scenes with the actual settings of
the true story, several alterations can be seen. Some due to the lack of
information on the issue, others just due to lack of correctly understanding
facts.
Going on to the movies Characterization. The
lead role in this movie is Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg acted by
well-known Hollywood actor Tom Cruise. Colonel Stauffenberg is depicted as a
war casualty survivor that comes home from war full of injuries and decides to
help the ‘coup de etat’ done by a small group of politicians and army officers.
With outrageous yet sophisticated interests for the German freedom, Colonel
Stauffenberg becomes an embodiment of a “Good German”, a model of elegant
disenchantment as said by the Guardian. This however is quite disturbed by the
acting of Pure American Tom Cruise which gives off an American feel to the
story. But all in all his acting was supportive to the development of the plot.
After watching the Valkyrie movie, I'm agree
with some of moral values we can learn from the movie. They are:
1.
Don't be afraid to start a change, although the extent of the risk that would
be faced.
2.
We have to believe in what we do.
3. What do you see doesn’t mean
things run out just like you expect it will happen but it turns out it happens
the other way around.
4.
Don't be hasty in taking decisions
5. People will always remember your
deeds and your idealism and how you made them feel. Your idealism will be seen from your works and how you can look at
the person, straight to their eyes and tell everyone about that already you
strive for.
The film
subsequently found local support in Germany. Director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
saw that Cruise's involvement would promote awareness of a neglected story,and
veteran German actor Armin Mueller-Stahl also gave his support to
the production.A grandson of Colonel von Stauffenberg, who appeared in the film
as an assistant, hailed Cruise's professionalism and indicated that most of his
family were curious to see the finished product. Schirrmacher visited the set
and agreed that the film would advance global awareness of the German
Resistance. Ultimately granting access to the Bendlerblock after reviewing the
script, the Defense Ministry said it showed that "barbarism didn't triumph
but led to the founding of a democratic Germany".
In November
2007, the head of the German Resistance Memorial Center
warned against any potential "myth formation" around von Stauffenberg
as a result of the film, urging that any understanding of the Colonel must also
be informed by the fact that he had been loyal to the Nazi cause for most of
his military career. In the same month Cruise was given a Bambi
courage award, presented by German media company Hubert Burda Media, "for tackling a story
that had never been covered by Hollywood before".
The Deficiency
of this film is did not realize the background of the characters are there,
especially all those involved in the murder plot. Not explained their
respective ideals, how can there be suspicion, so that Hitler escaped the raid,
or why Gen. Erich Fellgiebel who initially refused to enter the plotters
ultimately helping. Then at the end was not clear why Dr. Carl Goerdeler
eventually hanged (it means caught) without a clear story.
author : majoy
Thursday, 30 november 2017
