Downfall

This is the precisely and generously filmed agony of a deteriorating political system and the once proud and invincible army of Nazi Germany. It is probably the most impressive German film about their perspective on participation in World War II. Except for details such as personal dialogues between characters, it is based on historical facts. Hour after hour, we can observe the relentless tightening noose of encirclement around Berlin, the declining mood of the bunker occupants beneath the Reichstag building, until it reaches freezing point, exposing human characters and the self-proclaimed elite, who wanted to rule the world, and who must now hold themselves accountable. It is an excellent study of human characters in a critical situation, evading responsibility in a live broadcast. Bruno Ganz deserves the highest recognition for his portrayal of the German dictator. Overall impression: 95%. (09/07/2013)

I have never experienced such a quiet audience during the closing credits in a multiplex. Downfall is a modest masterpiece, powerful mainly due to the content that it reconstructs and by the gravity of the events that it depicts. In terms of imagery, it is a theatrically austere interior affair relying on the most realistic possible design of the sets and on the performances of the actors, who are exceptional. Not only Bruno Ganz, but also the other protagonists display maximum commitment to their work. The well-cast faces of Joseph and Magda Goebbels, whose cold-bloodedness and unhealthy devotion to the Führer almost surpass the terrible expression of Hitler’s demonic personality. Goebbels’s cold-eyed expression will haunt me for quite some time. Among other things, the film provokes the thought of what the world might look like if Hitler had succeeded in his plan. The scene in which he makes a visionary speech as he walks alongside a mock-up of the center of the Third Reich’s capital is one of the film’s best. (21/04/2005)

A movie that seems more like a documentary that isn’t so much about Hitler’s last days, as about the people around him and his last atrocity committed on his own nation. Certainly worth watching, but if it hadn’t been made by Germans, it would never have caused such a stir (is it really making Hitler seem more human if he thanks his cook for his food?). Even so, it’s good that it was the Germans who filmed it; they need to chase the skeletons out of their closet. (06/05/2005)

Downfall is a prime example of a quality historical film that mixes authentic events, perfect acting and great technical workmanship. It tells the story of a man who can be a caring husband and affable employer on the one hand, but also a monster without a drop of compassion on the other. We are, of course, talking about Adolf Hitler, who has made an indelible mark on history as a cruel dictator who wanted to conquer the entire world, in which only the 'pure' Aryan race would live. In this film we get a glimpse of the few days that preceded Hitler's death and the fall of the Reich. It captures, in particular the emotions of everyone involved, from the secretary, to the commanders, generals and chancellors, to the Führer himself. World War II is a timeless subject that has an inexhaustible supply, and this film depicts just one of its most poignant moments, and it doesn't even take place on the battlefield. Bruno Ganz is perfect as Hitler, and the cast of the Goebbels couple along with Traudl Junge are as well. In short, a film that really managed to blow me away despite its running time - I wasn't even breathing at the final recap of the fates. (10/09/2011)

The roaring protagonist Ganz may look like Hitler, but that's not enough for a good movie. After the first half hour, all the dramatic unrest or sadness of the supporting characters starts to play out lightly, and the final catharsis doesn't have time to fix anything. In the end, the war film crystallizes into a dramatic journey through the history of Germany, accompanied by confused editing and a sense of a (non)eventful film that was only talked about from a thematic standpoint. (05/05/2006)