Being a bit of a history buff, I both enjoy and detest films that are ‘based on actual events.’ I find it rather odd that Hollywood still hasn’t figured out how to recreate events in history without giving them that little bit of ‘Hollywood-ization” (and in some cases… quite a lot.) I cannot think of a single film that was able to stick to the facts at hand (and if you can, please point them out to me through the email on the home page). “Valkyrie” is the latest film to test the limits of the ‘truth’ by bringing to life the story of a group of men who formed a plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler. I was rather fascinated by this story as I have seen so many fictional versions (of course even those involving time travel…). I was especially interested as this particular group of men wasn’t made up of Americans or French… but Nazis.

Tom Cruise stars as Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, who comes to be so disgusted by Hitler’s tyranny that he formulates a plot to end his reign. He pulls together several high ranking Nazi Officers to implement his plan, but as history tells us… it unfortunately failed. I don’t mind hitting you with this obvious spoiler as it would have been akin to my not mentioning the boat sinks in “Titanic.”

The story, as it is told here offers a rather chilling inside look at the Nazi Regime, and the actors assembled deliver phenomenal performances. Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson and Terence Stamp give it their all to bring their characters to life. Unfortunately, the weak link is its star, Tom Cruise.

Cruise, whom despite his wacky lifestyle and sheltered viewpoints on the world, has proven himself to be a very strong actor… in the right roles. He started out pretty much playing the ‘hot shot (enter profession here)’ in every film, but quickly elevated his choices to meatier roles. Granted, he is no Johnny Depp, but he does have some acting chops. As Colonel Stauffenberg, he comes across as little more than a Muppet. There is little to no emotional dimension to his performance. He doesn’t completely kill the film, but as its star he certainly hits its brakes.

Bryan Singer steps in as director, and as he thrilled us with “X-Men” and “The Usual Suspects”, his work on “Valkyrie” is to be applauded. He took a story that should have been much longer and cut it to a point that it was still coherent. It is weakened by its brevity as much more time should have been allotted to allow the story to play out, but because of his (mostly) incredible cast and attention to detail, “Valkryie” still manages to entertain.

The film is overshadowed, however by one of the main special features available on the recent BluRay release. “The Valkyrie Legacy”, directed by documentarian extraordinaire Ken Burns, offers an in-depth look at the real story behind the movie. Here we learn details of the plot that we recognize as being changed to suit the film, and all in all it makes for a more thrilling tale. That said, be sure to watch this feature if no other.

Speaking of, the BluRay release does offer quite a bit to those who find themselves interested in the making of the film. Along with the aforementioned documentary, there are two commentaries. The first comes from Tom Cruise, Bryan Singer and Christopher McQuarrie. Thankfully it is not as egomaniacal as one might expect it to be and the trio offers an engaging conversation. The second commentary features McQuarrie again only this time paired with Co-Writer Nathan Alexander. Their conversation comes from more of a writer’s perspective and addresses what had to be changed to make it ‘movie-worthy.’

There are also several featurettes that focus on everything from the general making of, to those specific to shooting the airplane and African battle sequences. Best of these however once again moves away from the film as it offers the real Stauffenberg’s grandson an opportunity to tour some of the places that were integral to the plot as well as some interview pieces from his surviving daughter. Additionally, there is a lengthy interview with Cruise and Singer that was videotaped after a private screening. It is interesting… for a bit.

“Valkyrie” is, despite its faults, a good film and very entertaining. But if you’re looking for more of a true historical experiences, be sure to watch Burns’ documentary.

Directed by: Bryan Singer
Starring: Tom Cruise, Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, Terence Stamp
Extras: Audio Commentary by Tom Cruise, Director/Producer Bryan Singer, and Co-Writer Christopher McQuarrie; Audio Commentary by Co-Writer/Producer Christopher McQuarrie and Co-Writer Nathan Alexander; Reel Pieces with Tom Cruise and Bryan Singer; The Valkyrie Legacy Documentary; The Journey to Valkyrie Featurette; The Road to Resistance Featurette; The African Front Sequence Featurette; Taking to the Air Featurette; Recreating Berlin Featurette; Digital Copy
Specifications: Widescreen; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
Studio: MGM
Release Date: 5/19/2009
Region 1
MPAA Rating: PG-13
http://www.mgm.com
http://www.foxbluray.com

We'll give Valkyrie BluRay a B.