Valkyrie
As recently as ten years ago, Tom Cruise was an unstoppable movie machine, propelled by his aggressive perfectionism, gleaming smile, and legitimate talents into his box office golden boy slot. Then comes Scientology and his weird divorce and marriage, the loss of his long-standing Paramount production deal, and, with Valkyrie, he almost proved to be more of a liability than an asset. Germany’s objection to this film shooting on locations in Berlin was less to do with the idea of flying Nazi flags all over government buildings and all to do with the lead’s Scientology mania. Nazi flags all over, reminding them of their national shame – no problem. Couch-jumping Thetan? No thanks.
Somehow, director Bryan Singer and company got all the government’s concerns alleviated, and we get the best part of this movie, which is the immediate verite feel of the locations. This movie is an achievement in being yet another film about WWII based on a true story, and still contributing new and interesting information. It is also an achievement in reminding us, to a degree, why we used to plunk down all our dough to see Cruise do his thing. His thing, such as it is, is all over the place here; this is neither good nor bad. It’s definitely His Movie, even though it tells the tale of a grand conspiracy within the Nazi party to assassinate Hitler to save the Fatherland from the zealotry and terror being enacted on German citizens, and therefore should have been an ensemble piece.
Valkyrie describes the plot as it attempts to flourish behind the walls of the higher offices of the Party; it’s fascinating and terrifying to imagine the atmosphere of paranoia and distrust that must have been rampant. Anyone could turn coat, anyone could defect to the other side for self-preservation. I wish I had learned more about all that stuff than the minutiae about how Claus Von Stauffenberg did this and that and everyone else did stuff behind the scenes. A group of very brave and well-placed me traitorously risk their lives to quell the evil their own counterparts were doing. What terrific drama! What bravery and cleverness. In their stew of risk and complex politics, the cast of famous people detail the machinations of their attempted coup, and through it all strides Cruise, his handsome jaw set and his famous profile firm, driving the movie through all that boring (read: interesting but glossed-over) dragging middle section.
Valkyrie is a love letter to those brave members of the German Resistance who were not content to “win” Hitler’s campaign, who saw the shame they would bear for their complicity or inaction. But it’s really a love letter to the sheer star power of Tom Cruise. Don’t be misled – I still think he’s wacked out crazy. This guy can sell not-crazy like a pro, but if I didn’t know someone with a spine directed it, I would assume it was the president of Cruises’ fan club.
Rent Valkyrie for the interesting story, the Pirates of the Caribbean reunions, the supporting cast, and the suspense of watching the plan unfold. Eat the snacks for the Tom Cruise we wish would come back to us full time, the one from Risky Business and The Color Of Money and A Few Good Men and Magnolia.
MPAA Rating PG-13
Release date 12/25/08
Time in minutes 120
Director Bryan Singer
Studio MGM/UA
