Valkyrie – DVD Review
The Film:
It was distressing to hear the negativity that hovered over the production, and all the while, the studio constantly moving release dates for Bryan Singer‘s WWII drama that didn’t help its matters either. I like Singer, I felt as if in every film he gives it his all and delivers on certain levels of enjoyment. Unfortunately, the last year or two hasn’t been kind to Tom Cruise, and despite his wonky personal life and media grabbing headlines, I have find him to be a decent actor. I’ll admit it.
So finally, Valkyrie is released and was all of that drama worth it? No, in fact, it’s silly that there was even any fear that the film was “in trouble”. Valkyrie is a good drama that has the disadvantage of having every audience member know the fact that Hitler doesn’t die. How do you play against that fact and still make an interesting, suspense-filled tale?
Singer constructs the film with such precision that each act, each motive, is there for a reason and moves the plot along smoothly. History tells us Hitler committed suicide. I would be lying if I was at least for a moment thrown for a loop in thinking maybe Colonel Stauffenberg (Tom Cruise) pulled the 14th (!) assassination attempt off successfully. Singer displays all of it in a thrilling manner, as the film essentially has two bits of action and is mostly all dialogue. The film systematically shows the planning of Operation Valkyrie, what could’ve went right and what did go wrong.
If anything, because of Singer’s precise direction, unless you’re a huge history buff, you might not know one German from the next, but it helps having good actors like Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, and Cruise to carry us through this bit of interesting history. Also, there are a few bits of dialogue that felt more like Singer and the screenwriter sharing their feelings than the characters. That’s fine; Hitler was prime evil, the Holocaust was perhaps mankind’s darkest hour, but it feels slightly manipulative. I doubt if Stauffenberg cared about the Jews more than nationalism.
Valkyrie is a sharp thriller, full of engaging drama and tension, and Singer proves he’s still here and can deliver solid films outside of the superhero genre. All of the double-crosses and near-misses, watching Stauffenberg’s plan slowing unravel without him fully understanding why, makes for a great time.
The DVD:
Audio/Video: Sharp, crisp visuals, dark blacks, solid color representation makes for a great looking film. While mostly dialogue driven, the early war scenes and explosions later on, kick the sub and offer some great surround activity.
Commentaries: We get two tracks here. One has Singer and Cruise and the writer, the other has the writer again, McQuarrie and the co-writer. Both are solid tracks, that do offer some repeated information, but are still worth listening too. Singer’s track covers a broader look at the production every step of the way. The writers focus more on the formation of the idea to script. Lots of my own questions were answered; good stuff here.
The Valkyrie Legacy: Directed by Kevin Burns, this is a great 45 minute doc on the subject and its after effects. Devoid of fluff, Burns crafts an interesting companion to the film, that I think is essential. Whether you liked the film or not, give this a spin regardless. History fans will dig it.
Journey to Valkyrie: This is a 16 minute promo for the film, and while its EPK, we still get a few good bits like an actor to real life counterpart comparison and the grandson of Cruise’s character, Stauffenberg.
Conclusion: A solid film, unjustly whipped. We get a great DVD-solid presentation and great extras, making this one recommended.
Rating: 
