The director of Downfall, Oliver Hirschbiegel, once said, “As a filmmaker I do not plan on getting any message across… I'm a storyteller. That's my attitude. I want to entertain people." In this, his latest movie, he has certainly done that. Hirschbiegel has brought to life the ghouls of the Second World War, painting a very human side to the collapse of the German army.

From the maker of Das Experiment, his latest film sets out to portray the spiritual and emotional decay of one of history’s most notorious totalitarian machines. The film is set during the final days of the allied onslaught on Berlin and the eventual surrender of the German high command.

We see the subtle power plays and final betrayals that took place in Hitler’s Berlin bunker as well as the collapse of the city of Berlin itself. All the cast put in superb performances, most notably Bruno Ganz’s portrayal of Adolf Hitler. Ganz has achieved the remarkable feat of personalising one of the most demonized men in history. Hitler’s charisma and complete absence of compassion are particularly strong parts of the characterisation.

The supporting cast, whose characters’ names are now infamous, historical figures, bring a human touch rarely seen before. Particularly notable is Juliane Kohler’s portrayal of Eva Braun. She is portrayed as a care free but deeply loyal woman.

The film has an epic feel to it and the cinematography is quite breath taking. Though the battle scenes are only seen from a German perspective, the devastation wreaked on Berlin during those final days is captured perfectly. For those scenes alone, it is a must see at the cinema, especially for any one who watched Saving Private Ryan in the pictures first. As the Russian mortars explode nearer the bunker you really get the feeling of a shattered and broken army awaiting their final defeat.

The struggle between the political high command of the Third Reich and the German army officers is particularly enlightening. In the final days before Berlin’s surrender, there were various moves made from both sides of the battle line to end the war politically. Such was Hitler’s hatred and contempt for the decadent Western Allies, that all such attempts were thwarted. Himmler’s final betrayal, and Hitler’s subsequent reaction, is portrayed perfectly.

The film’s human portrayal of the people involved in the last days of the Third Reich is a bold attempt to simply tell a story. Though many would construe this as a softening of attitude to the atrocious deeds committed during the Second World War, the final scene of the film gives us a stark reminder that the lessons we have learned must never be forgotten.

Downfall comes to the UGC Cinema on April 1st.

words by Spencer Jacobs

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