Innumerous assassination bids were made on the life of Adolf Hitler. ‘Valkyrie’ documents the last attempt, at the Wolf’s Lair. The mission consisted of two parts: the assassination, followed immediately by the activation of Operation Valkyrie, an emergency operation originally designed to deploy the Territorial Reserve Army of Germany to protect Hitler’s government in case of his death.
Towards the end of World War II the majority of the Germans, including high ranking officers, wanted Hitler out of the way. Why, then, was it so difficult to get important people to directly join in the conspiracy? As the opening visuals correctly suggests, they were under an oath swearing undying allegiance to their Fuhrer.
Of course, by the time the last assassination was about to be made, Germany had all but lost the War. Therefore, the filmmakers would like their audiences to believe that the sole intention of this exercise was simply to show the world that Germany had its share of good people too. But the more likely truth, unstated, is that the majority of the conspirators were out to save their own skin once the War was ended and maybe even gain some favor out of the Allies.
Important questions have not been raised. Is it really possibly for someone to “accidentally” escape so many assassination attempts planned and executed in detail by some of the sharpest minds? Or were most of these attempts nothing but faked ones by the propaganda machine aimed at making Hitler appear invincible? If not, why didn’t someone from his inner circle simply shoot him in the head, cold-bloodedly, at arm’s length?
Tom Cruise as Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, the last chosen assassin, bears a striking resemblance to his real-life character from some of the angles. But it is clear from his American accent that Hollywood wasn’t too keen on experimenting with his star image. And the acting? Cruise’s furtive glances while on the mission are suspicious. In real life, it would surely easily have given his game away.
Ambient sounds, such as that of ringing phones, typewriters, vehicles, footsteps, sirens, and loud voices mix very nicely with the music of violins, organs, and drums to create an atmosphere of suspense and tension, though there’s more of talking than action.
Bryan Singer’s historical thriller excites without arousing empathy, and appears incomplete. Reportedly, around 5,000 members of the Resistance, including a national hero as well as the head of the Reserve Army, were identified and summarily executed in the purge that followed this final assassination bid. Thus, one would have expected the film to close with such kind of haunting images from the war archives.
