Valkyrie is all plot and no character, plus I felt a little conflicted cheering for someone who was still a Nazi, despite what he was attempting to do. I am not quite sure what I was expecting, but I had hoped to get a better look at the man behind the plot, the differences of those people involved, essentially see what made them tick. Unfortunately, the plot kicks off right from the get-go and upon conclusion just stops. All of the necessary points are there to get us through the story, but it lacks any type of personal flavor that would have helped drive it home.
As Valkyrie opens, we meet the Colonel in Tunisia preparing for a battle that will surely cost the lives of most of his men. He is attempting to find a way to get his men home to their families while still alive. No sooner is the plan explained than they are under attack by Allied forces, an attack which cost him his right hand, left eye, and a few assorted fingers. This is the sequence that had me conflicted right from the start. Are we expected to boo the Allies? Cheer the Nazi? I mean, that seems to be what this sequence is doing, getting us to cheer for Cruise's hero.
Anyway, from this point on it is full throttle towards assassinating the Fuhrer. The movie is well made and looks good, but I felt rather distanced from the action. The plot is easy to follow, but it feels as though pieces are missing. Anything that would have served to humanize those involved would have been nice; a couple of scenes with Stauffenberg's wife is about all that we get. I did not find an emotional "in" to the story.
Article comments
1 - Urn
Von Stauffenberg was not a Nazi and never joined the Nazy party. Not all WW2 German soldiers were Nazy. The Waffen SS on the other hand, were certainly belonged to the Nazy hirarchy.