Valkyrie

Director Brian Singer (The Usual Suspects) knows how to put together a gripping story in which, as is also the case with Valkyrie (despite being based on a true story), everyone knows the outcome.

So for much of it's length Valkyrie is a lean exercise in ratcheting up tension.

By 1944 World War II was clearly going badly for the Germans, and for some - sadly, not all that many - the bwith an eye patchest solution was to assassinate Hitler, seize power, and sue for peace.

Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg (Tom Cruise) was chief of staff of the reserve army, a decorated veteran who had lost a hand and an eye in battle.

Oh yeah - and he was the dude who ended up planting a briefcase full of explosives under a table during a conference with Hitler...

Everyone knows Hitler died in a bunker in 1945, so there is not much room for a twist ending here. Yet somehow Singer constantly finds ways to crank up the tension.

Whether it be postponed bomb plots, numerous variables refusing to go the plotters way (if Hitler had held the conference in his bunker as planned, the explosives would have killed him; instead, thanks to warm weather, they met in a hut) and the constant trembling of a plan that seems just plausible enough to work coming up against obstacles that just might be enough to stop it.

Cruise is blandly heroic as von Stauffenberg, but on this occasion that is good enough.

This is a film of action, not character.

Unfortunately, the all star (mostly British) supporting cast are a little too unsteady to sustain the tension required.

Bill Nighy and Tom Wilkinson especially seem more like cartoon nazis than the actual thing, while David Bamber as Hitler seems more like the real deal.

Ultimately, it's the numerous gripping sequences that stick with you after the credits :

The confusion when a vital briefcase goes missing after a failed assassination attempt, von Stauffenberg fumbling one-handed to arm the bomb, and the watchful eyes of the conspirators' underlings when the plot to seize power lurches into effect.

Gripping stuff.

DVD EXTRAS with Sean Lynch
If it's Special Features you are after, your best best would be investing in the Blu Ray edition - as that is where this film really thrives.

However, for DVD buffs - there is an edition floating around which includes Commentaries by Tom Cruise, Bryan Singer and Christopher McQuarrie, as well as a seond one with Christopher McQuarrie and Nathan Alexander.

There are a couple of fairly enticing featurettes which help fill in the historical backstory - and are actually excellent supplements to the film itself.