Valkyrie...Too Big A Star for Too Small a Script

History has always fascinated me, and if it is about Hitler and a plan to assassinate him, then it becomes more interesting. Directed by Bryan Singer whose earlier notable offerings were Superman Returns & X-Men series comes with drama based on a period that saw the brutality of Hitler. 

Valkyrie opens in Africa, penning in a journal his thoughts about Col Claus von Stauffenberg (played by Tom Cruise) during World War II, and how he feels Hitler is destroying Germany. He meets a group of people who holds high ranks in Hitler's regime and they meet in clandestine meetings to discuss on their further course of action on how to dethrone Hitler. They have planned may failed attempts to assassin Hitler. When Col. Stauffenberg joins them, they again plan to assassin Hitler; this time with with new combat plan named "Operation Valkyrie". Operation Valkyrie (German: Walküre) was an emergency "Continuity-of-Government" operations plan developed for the Territorial Reserve Army of the Germany to execute and implement should; for whatever reason; there come to be a general breakdown in civil order of the nation. The key role was played by German Army  officer Col Claus von Stauffenberg, who was in charge of German Reserve Army's Walküre, a role which allowed him access to Hitler for reports, and required his presence in the coup—which ruled out another suicide attack as planned earlier by other officers. After the first attempt had to be canceled and declared an "exercise", Stauffenberg placed the bomb on July 20 and hurried back to Berlin to assume his pivotal role.

This is a movie that is rich in it's portrayal of the exact scenarios that took place on July 20th of 1944.  But there is a basic flaw that made it dull. Everybody on this earth knows that this was a failed attempt (to be precise this was the last of total 15 failed attempts to assassin Hitler), so the curiosity will not be there. Secondly, Tom Cruise has delivered a run-of-the-mill act and he simply is underutilised. Bryan Singer has failed in one department hugely, that is the lack of excitement. There are moments that may make you get to edge of your seat but only for some moments. As far as the other casts are concerned they have done more than a decent job but overall the movie slips due to lack of pace and moments that one expects out of these historical thrillers. The use of camera and sets were excellent and the best part of the movie. With a run time of 121 minutes it is slow in more than one occasion.

Verdict: 2.5 / 5