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Tom Cruise, Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, Carice van Houten ... see more see more... , Thomas Kretschmann , Terence Stamp , Eddie Izzard , Kevin McNally , Christian Berkel , Jamie Parker , David Bamber , Tom Hollander , David Schofield , Kenneth Cranham , Halina Reijn , Werner Daehn , Harvey Friedman , Matthias Schweighöfer , Waldemar Kobus , Florian Panzner , Ian McNeice , Danny Webb , Chris Larkin , Matthew Burton , Philipp von Schulthess , Wotan Wilke Möhring , Christian Oliver , Bernard Hill , Julian Morris , Helmut Stauss , Tim Williams , Anton Algrang , Matthias Freihof , Gerard Haase-Hindenberg , Stephen Fry , Manfred-Anton Algrang

At the absolute height of World War II, German generals hatch a daring plan to assassinate Adolf Hitler and effectively render the German war machine impotent. Directed by Bryan Singer, Valkyrie stars... read more read more... Tom Cruise as Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, the real-life mastermind behind the elaborate plot known as Project Valkyrie: a plan to assassinate Hitler and overthrow his government from the inside. Stauffenberg has been a loyal soldier and an asset to the Reich for his entire military career, but after losing an eye, a hand, and three fingers in an Allied bombing, he reaches a breaking point. The destructive madness that his country is unleashing on the world has become too terrible for the colonel to stand silent. He joins the resistance movement -- a treasonous act, punishable by death -- and risks his life and the life of his family for the chance to change history. Comprised of high-ranking officials working in secret, the German Resistance has access to the inner workings of the government and military, putting them in the perfect position to dispatch the dictator and then use his own official contingency plan to seize power -- before the army, the S.S., and loyal party members can put someone just as diabolical in the Führer's place. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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66% liked it

216,326 ratings

Critics

62% liked it

193 critics

PG-13, 2 hr.

Directed by: Bryan Singer

Release Date: December 25, 2008

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DVD Release Date: May 19, 2009

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Stats: 21,720 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (21,720)

  • thmtsang
    February 12, 2013
    thmtsang
    Historical drama. A number of inside attempts were made by Germans to assassinate Hitler. This movie tells the story of one of those plots. Tom Cruise leads a group of men to assassinate Hitler. Even though you know that Hitler committed suicide in real life, the movie makes you ... read morewish the outcome was different. Good story and cast. Only problem - everyone uses their own accents.
  • UniversalDreamer
    August 16, 2012
    UniversalDreamer
    They conquered all Europe, the Nazis, so how could they fail assassinating the one madman behind it all, I've often wondered. Singer manages to put a human face on the proceedings, a true explanation, though more actual German inclusion would've been welcome in this retort to t... read morehe countless "they're all evil" films out there. Tense and gripping, the work only suffers in that the subject is perhaps larger than a mere film can contain. Nonetheless a very good work.
  • phubbs1
    February 9, 2012
    phubbs1
    When this film came up in a thread awhile back I was shocked to hear Cruise playing a part, well I now eat those words with a side order of beans. Cruise finally grows up and gives the best performance I have seen in his career possibly, and the fact its in a proper decent film w... read morehich means something makes it even more powerful.

    An excellent film from start to finish is all I can say, very moving and extremely strong in performances. The whole film was very tense all the way, I could feel myself really sweating despite the fact I knew the outcome. You wanted them to succeed you really did, you think it will be alright and they could pull off a major political overthrow, the fact they don't does crush you at the end...it is brilliantly done.
    Its not a heavy film laden down with heavy politics like some films can be, its very straight to the point and doesn't ease up anywhere. It shows how many people inside the Third Reich were against Hitler and his plans from high up officials all the way down the ranks. I never knew there were so many attempts at Hitler's life

    This is also a good film for the German people, I'm sure they have to endure much from films in the past where all Germans are portrayed as evil, this will balance the past somewhat I hope. It was also amazing to read at the end credits that Stauffenberg's wife only died in 2006!

    Every cast member is brilliant...the cast itself is A class, even the minor roles are played well. The look is perfect and seems historically accurate, the sets are all really impressive and wardrobe is spot on. There isn't much action in this film so don't be expecting the usual war film stereotype, its mainly talk, but the words are real, hard, powerful, based on fact and don't give you a moments pause as the tension and suspense builds to its heart breaking finish.

    Like 'Schindler's List' this is a serious film, not quite in the same league or as harsh of course but cannot be ignored. My only down point is maybe it would have been even better if all cast spoke in German and the film had English subs, that would have really been authentic but hard to do I guess. Full marks :)
  • ironclad1609
    November 7, 2011
    ironclad1609
    The true story of the plot to murder Adolf Hitler in 1944 is rather well known in Germany, but probably less so in other countries. The cast they combined for this is outstanding, probably could have used a few more Germans in German roles, but it's hard to complain about the sta... read morerpower meeting here. Director Singer takes on the events of those fateful days and goes through them very detailed but breathlessly exciting. Even if you know how it ends, you can't help but sit on the edge of your seat. It's pretty enthralling to see how close the war was to ending a year before it actually did. An interesting and very entertaining history lesson with top notch acting performances.
    Fun fact: no less than four actors in this film have also been in Pirates of the Caribbean 3.
  • danperry17
    October 24, 2011
    danperry17
    A near miss. There was a lot going for this one, including a strong cast, conspiracy-theory intrigue and a sizeable amount of action. Unfortunately, it took a while to get going, and overall, it just interrupts itself too often, spinning its wheels for most of the first hour befo... read morere the plot really takes off. A good enough movie, but nothing special. Catch it on TV some time.
  • SirPant
    August 25, 2011
    SirPant
    Bryan Singer's version of Valkyrie is the most thorough I've seen so far but for all the technicals they get right, they also let certain aspects slip. It did feel like an old war film for the 40s/50s but it lacked the charm. I'm looking forward to seeing Jo Baier's Stauffenberg ... read more(Operation Valkyrie) as I can't help but think that to tell the story properly, you have to film it in its native tongue. Not horrible but it still doesn't make up for Superman Returns Mr. Singer!
  • rezpatriot
    July 19, 2011
    rezpatriot
    Tom Cruise wanting to do a Schiendlers List emotional movie, or a pretty good World War II movie. I cant decide. Watch it and tell me what you think.
  • FrizzDrop
    August 2, 2010
    FrizzDrop
    Makes me think of Inglorious Basterds mixed with Minority Report. Hitler is the base, with the action and insubordination of Cruise.
  • bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb1
    July 29, 2010
    bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb1
    a really good world war 2 movie about a team of nazis who devise a plan to kill hitler. B+
  • paulsandberg
    July 15, 2010
    paulsandberg
    "Night of The Generals" it's not, and of course Tom Cruise isn't even in the same universe as Peter O'Toole, but given all that, there is a good level of suspense and a wanting to see how it all plays out; in spite of the foreknowledge that, of course, the plot fails.

    The stre... read morength of the film lies in the wonderful supporting charactors, from Tom Wilkenson, to Terance Stamp, to Kenneth Branagh and even Eddie Izzard - but somehow there is an emotional detachment, even though the film attempts to show Cruise's family and how, in the middle of the takeover, he wants his secretarty to keep trying to dial his wife.

    The film is earnestly shot, no gimmicks or special effects - and this is all for the better. Still, for all the great potential of the conflict of service to your ruler vs service to your country, the film never quite infuses that moral angst, and even though witnessing the eventual executions, you just don't get the emotional kickback.

    That this type of film was even made, here in the 21st century, is a wonder, and I'm glad I watched it; but, as is the case with so many films, upon reflection you can see the possibility for greatness, but realize that the film missed capitalizing on that possibility.

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Critic Reviews

Lisa Schwarzbaum
September 7, 2011
Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly

Valkyrie, as field-commanded by director Bryan Singer, succeeds on its own terms as a handsome hybrid of conspiracy thriller and history lesson, of Mission: Impossible and The Day of the Jackal. Full Review

Tom Huddlestone
January 23, 2009
Tom Huddlestone, Time Out

As old-fashioned historical escapism goes, this is solid, compelling stuff. Full Review

Peter Rainer
January 5, 2009
Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor

Surely there is some middle ground between a history lesson and mindless action-adventure. The people who made Valkyrie not only didn't find that ground; they weren't even looking for it. Full Review

Richard Schickel
December 30, 2008
Richard Schickel, TIME Magazine

It is a well-made film that raises timeless questions about the demands of military duty when they are placed in conflict with higher principles. Full Review

Lisa Kennedy
December 30, 2008
Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post

What if this lesser-known chapter of German resistance had been more deeply captured? What if the moral conflicts running through this movie about love of country and revolt said more about Germany, w... Full Review

Tom Maurstad
December 30, 2008
Tom Maurstad, Dallas Morning News

Singer keeps the conspiracy racing to its fated conclusion. Full Review

J. R. Jones
December 30, 2008
J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader

As a suspense movie, this works pretty well. Full Review

Kenneth Turan
December 29, 2008
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

Valkyrie is made with impeccable professionalism and, flying in the face of years of Internet hysteria, is a perfectly acceptable motion picture. The only thing that keeps it from even greater accompl... Full Review

Connie Ogle
December 29, 2008
Connie Ogle, Miami Herald

The screenplay by Christopher McQuarrie and Nathan Alexander introduces a seemingly endless series of characters, but there's no time to flesh any of them out enough to make you worry about their fate. Full Review

David Edelstein
December 29, 2008
David Edelstein, New York Magazine

Valkyrie doesn't whip you up like that Jewish vigilante avenger picture Defiance, but in this season of throat-grabbing Holocaust movies, its gentlemanliness is most welcome. Full Review

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Facts

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    • Erwin von Witzleben: You may hand us over to the executioner, but in three months time, the disgusted and harried people will bring you to book and drag you alive through the dirt in the streets.
    • Gen. Friedrich Olbricht: We've been discovered.
    • Gen. Friedrich Fromm: Do you realise what you've done?! The Fuhrer is alive!
    • Col. Heinz Brandt: Well you've come a long way, you must be.. thirsty?
    • Pompous General: The Fuhrer is not dead!
    • Major-Gen. Henning von Tresckow: We have to show the world, that not all of us were like him.
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Valkyrie Trivia

  • Which of the following video games has NOT been made into a movie?  Answer »
  • ?Valkyrie? is based on an actual plot to assassinate Hitler. Colonel Stauffenberg was a Colonel in the German army, who plotted to kill Hitler. The movie is entirely based on the real incident and tries to factually depict the plot.  Answer »
  • Which actor plays the role of the lead character in the movie, Col. Stauffenberg in 'Valkyrie'?   Answer »
  • True Story Valkyrie  Answer »
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