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7

Say what you want about Hitler, he wasn’t all that bad. After all, he killed Hitler.

24

A masterwork of breathtaking realism & historical accuracy, Downfall (Der Untergang) recreates the events surrounding the final days of German dictator Adolf Hitler in the Führerbunker while also depicting the fall of the Third Reich & Berlin during World War II. The film is bookended by excerpts from the real-life Traudl Junge, Hitler's final secretary, and the plot itself is derived from her s.

The best thing about this film is that it keeps the human traits of the Führer intact and boldly defies the conventional portrayal of Hitler in media which was controversial as expected but in my opinion is a brave, irable & important attempt. What makes it bold is that by taking this approach, the picture reminds the viewers that…

6

not a fan of this Hitler character he seems like a real asshole

11

Pretty heavy stuff for morning viewing!

I can't stress this enough... it is an exceptionally well crafted film about Hitler's last days! There were several instances where I was deeply moved by scenes that even the most hardcore cynic would have bawled like a baby!

The film tackled Hitler by demystifying the legendary caricature by reducing him to the mere mortal that he was.. A grotesquely flawed psychotic with delusions of grandeur!

16

The Soviet Union is the reason the Allies won WWII, not the US. American education will have you believe differently.

3

It kinda sucks to know that most people will only know of this film and such a brilliant performance from Bruno Ganz as Adolf Hitler from a tired Youtube meme. Give this a chance and watch the entire film. You will be simply astonished.

Review by legolas ★★★★★ Liked

I think what really affected me about Downfall is how it made me think about the psychology behind Hitler's final days, on what ultimately drove him, and others like him, to commit suicide on the eve of defeat in World War II. I mean, Hitler had an unfathomable amount of power and in the end, killed himself. That, to me, says everything. It shows how deluded and cowardly he was. Defeated by the collapse of the Nazi regime and not wanting to face trial, he used suicide as a final escape from justice.

The film impressively portrayed these final hours, and it draws us into the bunker, into the thick air of despair, where everybody is falling apart. Hitler, shut…

10

“In war such as this, there are no civilians.”

I had a bunch of shit written down about this one but then realized CinemaClown wrote a significantly better review that covered just about everything I wanted to say…always a nice feeling to realize how basic you are!

Downfall (2004) presents the last days of the Third Reich, mainly focusing on Adolf Hitler and the other top brass of the Nazi regime as they barricade themselves in the Führerbunker while the Russians close down on Berlin. The panic and hopelessness of these men, though they be monsters, is deeply humanized as they struggle to come to grips with their plight, although the film definitely does not shy away from some of their more…

14

How should we depict Adolf Hitler in our art? One answer is that we shouldn't at all. But if we are I think a film like Downfall sets a good template to follow. Here he is a man, not a cartoon villain or exaggerated fantasy. Great evil comes from real people. Hitler had a charisma and was able to charm others, so there is no use pretending that he was hated. Nazi was a society in awe of him and so that reality must be reconciled. Downfall seeks no sympathy for Hitler, nor understanding for his actions, but it wants us to acknowledge what happened. Truth and history matters. Evil must be first seen so it can be defeated.…

1

I really don't have any problem with humanizing Hitler. After all, the only being capable of committing such atrocities are humans.

9

Chronicling the last 10 days of Adolf Hitler's tyrannical reign and the inevitable fall of Nazi "Downfall" is a startling, powerful piece of Cinema, and one that's essential viewing.

Bruno Ganz gives one of the best performances I've ever seen in a film. Watching him was like watching the living embodiment of Hitler. In fact, I didn't see any actors whilst watching this film. Every single actor gives the highest level of commitment I've ever seen in a film, almost to the point it felt as though I was watching a documentary, witnessing the events unfold in front of me in real time.

Oliver Hirschbiegel and the entire crew behind this film should be given the utmost credit for…

1

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.