Dir. Bryan Singer
Writ. Christopher McQuarrie, Nathan Alexander
Act. Tom Cruise, Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkenson, Terence Stamp

When I see movies like this I often wonder how insulted some countries are about the audacity of American movie companies? The equivalent to this movie for Americans would be if an Indian movie company made a movie about the founding fathers of the country during the Declaration of Independence and have them all of the major parts be from India. Imagine an Indian George Washington? Pretty insulting I should think. Well that's what Hollywood has given Germany, a German hero played by very American Tom Cruise.

Based on actual events, as the tide turns against the Germans in World War II, a handful of high ranking German officers create a plan, Operation Valkyrie, in which a plot to assassinate German Chancellor Adolph Hitler is hatched. Led by Colonel Stauffenberg, played by Tom Cruise (Tropic Thunder,) German officers head to the Wolf's Lair and set off the bomb that kills Hitler. When the plan goes awry and Hitler lives, the officers attempt to continue to seize power before Germany knows that Hitler is still alive.

The casting is the biggest problem in the movie. Not that the cast isn't talented, they all are very good or better, its just that with precious few exceptions, the German Army officers in the film were all cast by British actors. I don't understand this choice in casting. There are several quality actors from Germany that could have done all of these rolls just as well. Because of this I have a hard time believing anything that is said by the actors. One line was delivered as "Please give me a cup of tea." A German office asking for a freaking cup of tea???? Yeah I don't think so.

Another thing I didn't like, and it's probably small, but there is no mention of perhaps the greatest general the Germans had during the war, Erwin Rommel. General Rommel was implicated in the plot and he committed suicide, removing one of the best strategists the Germans had in the war. The movie does not mention him at all and I think that is a miscarriage of history. One could argue that since Rommel was no longer available to help fight the allies as the war turned against Germany, the war ended faster than it would have if he was still alive and fighting.

The story did move once we got to the point where the plot to assassinate Hitler became a reality. I enjoyed watching how all of the players had a role to play in the plot as well as the main characters trying to find out who was on their side and who wasn't. However, the setup to the plot was painfully slow and I really don't know why we had to know about the wife of Stauffenberg. It really played no baring on the movie and in the end I would have rather seen bits on Rommel.

The acting was quite good, even though, as I said, the British accents were annoying. I didn't have a problem with Cruise either. He was able to hold his own against these actors that, by and large, had more talent then him (Kenneth Brannagh, Tom Wilkenson, Bill Nighy.)

Over all, the movie is ok. Its not worth the hype, which is why it was hyped so much, in order to get people into the movie theaters. Wait till DVD and hope that something more interesting doesn't come out at the same time. Else its gonna have to wait for an HBO premiere showing.

Brian - the Naked Gun