Downfall, a review...

I saw a film last night. Well, not really last night, about 3 days back because I've watched other stuff since but oh well...


Downfall – very upsetting. I honestly thought I wouldn’t make it to the end, and that doesn’t happen often. But once you’ve sat through half, you mayaswell sit through more, and if you’ve got 15 mins to go then, well, what the hell! I thought Mrs Goebble’s little treat was as far as it could go, but no it just goes on getting worse. Don’t get too attatched to ANYONE.

War on screen has been portrayed as hell and insanity respectively – this film does both. It’s also been portrayed as glorious, and I defy anyone to find a trace of that mindset in here. Near the beginning of the film, I commented that Eva Braun was nutty. Well by the end they all are, in their little ways, whether doing a Feinlin and running for it, or a Magda and…well, lets just say that the bunker is quite possibly the holiday destination of the year.

Set in and around Hitler’s bunker in Berlin, the final days of the third Reich are hardly a process of crashing down or crumbling slowly. It’s more of a horrible slump as everyone gradually goes insane. Even our heroine, who I suppose is meant to be the “ordinary” person, succumbs to heroic idiocy, remaining in the bunker when given a chance to flee and accepting a poison capsule as a present from Uncle Adolf.

It’s almost ironic, that a place built to protect them all becomes a horrible catacomb within which they all slowly go potty.

10/10 to the Germans for extreme bravery in finally facing up to the Nazi thing. Every country has a bad history if you go back far enough. We Brits were responsible for basically destroying Africa and leaving it a mess, and inventing the concentration camp. Did you know that? It’s a very well kept secret, and you can really see why. I understand why the German people might be ashamed of their past (though personally I think we’re sometimes too sensitive about these things. Especially those of us who weren’t even born when our homeland committed its special crime), and heartfelt congratulations go to them for attempting such a project, and pulling it off so well.

Adoration is also due to Mr Bruno Ganz, who portrays Hitler as coming straight out of the Vito Corleone school of perception: you know he’s a bad man in your head, and he really does some very nasty things even if you don’t see them on screen, but in your heart you really genuinely like him. Somehow, our Adolf is now a kindly, if a tad eccentric, uncle. I’m pretty forgiving, but feeling sorry for Hitler is something which doesn’t happen too often, even if one is generally disposed to like “baddies”. Even after the lines about being proud for exterminating the Jews, he’s just a nice old man in love who likes his dog and happens to have been responsible for about 50 million deaths, but it wasn’t really his fault. Nice work, Mr Ganz.

All in all, 4/5 - stunning work, and leave 30 minutes before the end if you have a sensitive disposition.


(Films seen since- the Great Gatsby (RR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), Memento (Wha....stunning) and half of The Others (felt like an M Night film, but the setup was a tad contrived. And they didn't film it in Jersey, which ticked me off.)