Downfall Movie Review by Trencher

One day when I turned on the TV to watch my favourite News/debate show I was surprised that they were in fact discussing a movie. The movie in question: "Der Untergang" is a movie about the last days of National Socialistic rule in Germany, the night before they are crushed by the Russians forces. The professors, psychologist and media experts were talking about the history behind and the characters that was portrayed more than they were discussing the quality of the movie. Although the general consensus was that it was a very good movie. My initial reaction was "another film about Hitler? What can that movie show that has not been shown a hundred times before?"

In school we learned about the third reich, on the TV we have seen an un-number of documentaries about Hitler and his cronies: Hitler’s Generals, Hitler’s women, Hitler’ judges, Hitler’s doctors and Hitler’s favourite pair of shoes. (Okay I’m kidding about that last one but you get the general idea). I am a little fed up with the endless fascination about Hitler and the National-socialistic state. I think that the Nazi as a villain has been overused in movies and comic books. And a story form World War 2 which is not about the action on the frontlines?

Call me sceptical but I saw before me a movie were either the main characters are portrayed as corny comic book type of villains. Ruthlessly parodied and ridiculed in a smug and vindictive fashion. Or a whiny sentimental piece where the Germans are portrayed as poor helpless victims and the realities of National-socialistic rule where abstracted into the background to such an extent that it becomes the "horrors of war" cliché. Germans get no sympathy from me but then again movies where the Germans are portrayed as over the top maniacal monsters are well.. Just boring. I like it when the villains of movies are portrayed as people neither monsters nor as "dark" heroes unless it is a complete work of fiction.

So as you could see I was not very willing to spend 85 kroner on this movie, however it got very good reviews from every newspaper here over here. And by that I mean every newspaper! Also all my friends that saw it said it was among the top three movies of their life or better so in the end I dragged my self into the cinema. And I was very pleasantly surprised! This movie is very good, let me tell you right now. I think that this movie will win the Oscar award for best non-American picture for sure. Yes I am serious. I really do believe that a German movie about Hitler’s last days down in a bunker will win the Oscar.

The movie is told through the eyes of one of Hitler’s secretaries, a Hitlerjugend child soldier, a doctor and various other persons. The movie is very inclusive and unsentimental. It shows how people suffered without either glossing over or get sappy it just shows it as it were and it is enough.

So what makes this movie so great? Well first the setting is very realistic. The way music and sound are used are top notch. The fact that I saw it in a THX cinema might have something to do with it. The whole movie is very dark and unsettling you get a sense of doom and madness that I have never seen before in any movie in my life. This movie shows us why they use the Nazis as enemies so often in other movies, what I thought was tired old cliché jumps right out of the movie screen and pistol whip you with its sig sauer so you can feel the blood in your mouth. Hannibal Lecter? Lex Luthor? Dracula? They are all children. In this movie nearly all of the characters are evil of such a magnitude that makes the villains in the best psychological thrillers look like innocent little lambs. It represents such a challenge to portray in a realistic manner on screen by both actors and director that I thought not it could be done. But they did it.

The actors skill in this movie must be seen to be belived. I am amazed, the only actor who gives a mediocre performance is the bald doctor, Prof. Dr. Ernst-Guenter Schenck (played by Christian Berkel). But he is not bad it is just that everybody else outshines him. I don’t want to give away anything of the story but I can not recommend the movie enough it is a amazing piece of film! The pace of the movie is also in a class of its own it has dark sombre moments but the film never goes slow you are constantly wondering what will happen next even if you saw the documentary or have read about it. The story just drag you with it. It is not an action movie but it feels like one. The movie is long but it goes by in the blink of an eye. It has so many impressions and situations that I think I have to see it again.

The Hitler character is portrayed very well by Bruno Ganz, but I also must commend the actor who played Joseph Goebbels (Ulrich Matthes), he shines in the role of the petty insipid man that Goebbels was without overdoing it. A greater challenge perhaps than the role of  Hitler. But the best role is portrayed by Corinna Harfouch who played Magda Goebbels. The actress does it so effortlessly and elegantly no matter what Mrs Goebbels does. I said it before but I say it again all the actors in this movie gives an Oscar performance.

Go watch this movie you will not be disappointed.

Review by Trencher (MoviesOnline Community)