Downfall (2004)

Downfall unfolds from the point of view of Traudl Junge, the secretary of Adolf Hitler, as she tells of the final days of World War Two inside Hitler's Berlin bunker.

Overall Review Score

9 out of 10

Review

Downfall is a 2004, 149-minute, German biographical that is subtitled in English. Based on the books 'Inside Hitler’s Bunker', 'Until the Final Hour' and 'Inside the Third Reich' among others, Downfall drops the audience into Hitler’s bunker within the Reich Chancellery and takes them through the last 10 days of World War Two. Despite, the story being known and its outcome determined by history, Downfall is an illuminating, fresh, and emotional film that will have the audience on the edge of their seats. Bruno Ganz does an spellbinding job of playing Adolf Hitler displaying an equal balance of cruelness and kindness and leaving the audience with a balanced view of the German leader. As the pressure mounts and the film progresses into the last 3 days of World War Two, Downfall picks up the pace and delivers something no other World War Two biography has done before. It makes the audience spine tingle, leaves them wondering when Hitler is going to concede defeat and makes them question the motives of every character within the bunker. Overall, Downfall is the new benchmark for World War Two biographical dramas and everyone from the Director Oliver Hirschbiegel and the actors to the producer / writer Bern Eichinger and Cinematographer Rainer Klausmann should be proud of the epic film they have created.

Reviewer 1's score & comments:

Score: 9 out of 10

Comments:

Also known as “Der Untergang”, Downfall casts the audience back to 1945 and captivates them in the recollections of Hitler’s secretary during his final days. The film is gripping, compelling, features some truly superb acting, and remains surprising passive regarding Hitler, neither portraying him as a misunderstood individual or a raving megalomaniac. Rather Downfall focuses its attention on the personalised accounts of key figures such as Hitler, Himmler, and Goebbels, which creates a powerful masterpiece that I especially will not be forgetting in a hurry.

Reviewer 2's score & comments:

Score: 9 out of 10

Comments:

Despite my initial ignorance thinking this was a comedy, due to all the Downfall spin offs floating around the internet. I was quickly engulfed into this personal biography. Downfall tells the end of World War Two from a unique perspective and effortlessly draws in the audience. It is a film that should be watched by every history lover, drama fan or anyone who wants an excellent, real and organic film that will stay with you long after the final credits have rolled.

#biography #drama #brunoganz