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470 comments in total

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549 out of 608 people found the following comment useful :-
Impressive achievement, realistic and shocking, 24 November 2004

Author: nosiesnetnieuws from Maastricht, Netherlands

This film definitely is a must-see because of the incomparable degree of realism displayed in it. Direction, camera and acting are of an unparalleled level and make you, as the viewer, feel as if you are actually in Berlin, 1945, and in the Führer's bunker. The film does not provide any commentary or judgment, it just shows facts.

The film is criticized because it gives the Nazi's a human face, but this is exactly it's strongest point: the Nazi's were not extraterrestrial monsters, they were as human as you and I. The image of Hitler crying of sorrow because all is lost, is still burned on my retina.

In my opinion, this is a film that should be shown in schools to illustrate the Second World War with. It is probably impossible to provide a more realistic account, without *any* form of judgment.

A major achievement, even for Germany as a whole. It is very brave to create such a realistic film about one's own past.

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422 out of 479 people found the following comment useful :-
One of the most historically accurate and psychological movies! German MASTERPIECE!, 21 November 2004

Author: Marcin Kukuczka from Cieszyn, Poland

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

"Morgen Werden Mich Millionen Verfluchen Aber Das Schicksal Wollte Es Nicht Anders" (Adolf Hitler)

("Tomorrow, millions of people will condemn me but the fate wanted it so!")

Before writing this review, I trembled. The feeling of terror and fear is very significant for me to admit since whenever I attempt at discussing such cruel topics as the one of war and its misery, I feel scared. It is impossible to do justice to people who created hell on earth. But it is possible to show them to new generation in an accurate way.

Der Untergang is not a movie, as some people would probably expect, that shows the leaders of the Third Reich as real monsters. It is a psychological attempt at creating a slightly different image of Hitler and his closest "companions" than has been preferred by many so far. The "monsters" appear to have human feelings. They, however, have mostly dark rather than black souls. The whole movie is truthful to history since it is highly based on the notions of Hitler's secretary, Traudl Humps - Junge. To my surprise, she herself appears at the end of the movie, old, tired of her sad memories from the 1940s. Her words "One could look for the truth even if we did not know the scale of human tragedy" prove that she was not one of the blind Nazi propaganda followers but someone who believed that everyone is a child of God and it is not right to kill. The strange destiny of hers led her to Hitler somehow unconsciously.

The thing that seemed the most significant for me is the effect that the movie has on a viewer. All of the scenes take place in Berlin bunker, in very small rooms where the leaders of the Third Reich are hiding. Hitler, though cruel, deadly furious, and far from consciousness (for long he still believes in victory), is also able to show human feelings, especially to women. Eva Braun, escaping from the cruel facts of her lover's (later husband's) downfall, wants to be cheerful and entertain. One of the most memorable scenes was the one where Eva wants to have a party and dance although Berlin is full of bombarding. This is a sort of escape from the reality, a feeling that every human has in despair. Others, including Magda Goebbels and her husband are sheer fanatics. I will never forget the moment when Mrs Goebbels kills her children, calm, not showing any feelings at all. With reference to Speer's words, she does not even hesitate to deprive her children of future. One of the few people who retained reason is Traudl and Prof. Ernst Guenter Schenck.

The cast are really great. These are mostly German stars, some not very famous, but they perform wonderfully. Bruno Ganz portrays Hitler really well. From fury and devil's cruelty to politeness and calmness. However, never accepting compassion! A young, beautiful rising star, Alexandra Maria Lara, feels her role of Traudl. Sometimes, she feels empathy with Hitler, but in other moments she is shocked by his furious behavior. Corinna Harfouch as Magda Goebbels is great in this role. She seems to have calm nerves for most of the time, even while killing her children, but when Hitler plans to kill himself, she kneels down before him, panics begging him, in sheer mad fanaticism, not to leave his people. Great acting

Finally, the most unforgettable performance, in my opinion, is Juliane Kohler's Eva Braun. I loved all the scenes she appeared in. For most of the time a viewer can distinguish two sorts of personalities in her: on the one hand, someone who wants to be happy and live a cheerful life, and, on the other hand, someone who does whatever the fuhrer says, no matter if it destroys her personal happiness. Consider the scene when she begs Hitler for the life of Hermann Fegelein (Thomas Kretschmann), her sister's husband, to spare. She feels compassion, says that her sister is pregnant... but when Hitler is not able to feel empathy, she wipes off the tears of her face and calmly says "You are the fuhrer!" I saw the film for the second time partly for the sake of Juliane and her performance.

There is one more topic which I have to mention in this review, though long. Some people in Poland said that Oliver Hirschbiegel, the director of the movie, raised nationalism in Germany through this movie. Isn't it silly? It would mean that people would go to the cinema and the film would teach them nationalism or other sick and corrupted ideologies. The film clearly conveys one message "Hitler was evil, he killed many innocent people including millions of Jews, but he was not a devil. He was only a tool in his/her hands and a "god" for blind Nazi fanatics! What is more, there are always good and bad Germans like there are good and bad people in every nation on earth!" Even the title says clearly, it was the DOWNFALL of the Third Reich! If someone is a racist or Nazi, the film does not change anything. The corruption comes out of one's heart!

THE DOWNFALL is a must to see. It is a film that will be surely regarded as one of the most ambitious films ever made. The content is very hard to present, but Mr Hirschbiegel together with Bernd Eichinger (by the way, he produced a wonderful movie in 1986 The Name of the Rose) managed to do it perfectly. I give this film 10/10 with no hesitation!

Finally, I feel a need to share my thoughts with you that i had just after seeing the movie:

Yes, there are millions who condemn you, Hitler! The gist, however, is not condemning, but rather learning from history and drawing right conclusions. In order not to allow for A HELL ON EARTH again! NEVER!

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346 out of 402 people found the following comment useful :-
Amazing realism, 12 November 2004

Author: Hermes Brandt from Amsterdam, Netherlands

Der Untergang makes you live the horrors and craziness of war. Bruno Ganz's interpretation of Adolf Hitler is worthy of an Oscar. He is completely believable. Also the rest of the cast performs admirably. You feel transported to Berlin as it was bombarded by the Russians. You get a very clear insight (or an impression?) in how the military decisions were taken during those final days of the war. The movie balances well between large-scale effects of bombs exploding in ruined streets and depictions of different persons going though the experience – from Hitler and his staff in the well-protected bunkers to the principal military commanders torn between reason and loyalty and German civilians trapped in an inferno. The movie is neither pro-Nazi nor does it depict all Nazis as mindless monsters. It gives an impression of utter realism. Go see it in a good cinema – your seat will tremble as the bombs explode. A nine out of ten.

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313 out of 419 people found the following comment useful :-
Distanced and sober view of Hitler's last days, 12 November 2004

Author: Thomas Engels from Brussels, Belgium

The first 15 minutes made me doubt the qualities of this movie. The situations were a bit forced and the cuts were strange. But after the uncomfortable beginning the movie took momentum and kept it until the end.

I think the choice of depicting Hitler as a human being with a dispassionate and modest direction was excellent. The film never tries to force viewers into an opinion. Everybody can form his own opinion. Too often the horrors of WWII led writers and directors to depict Nazis as monsters. Perfectly normal human beings can be cruel and merciless if they are blinded (by hate for example), which should never be forgotten.

In a way, a human Hitler to me is more guilty than a raving monster. He had the choice and he chose to do wrong. He could choose life and he chose murder and destruction. A human being lost respect for the life of other human beings and led a country into genocide. Ultimately he loses respect for all life and starts sacrificing his own soldiers at random. This is what I value this film for, making the idea of a human Hitler tangible.

It was very brave to make this film, given that controversy was almost certain to arise. One of the highlights of this year, to be sure.

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267 out of 337 people found the following comment useful :-
The Best WWII movie ever., 14 December 2004
Author: duret-1 from Weert, Netherlands

'Der Untergang' is probably the only WW2 movie I've ever seen, which only deals with facts and is utterly deprived of any form of commercialism whatsoever. Bruno Ganz is truly excellent in his role as Adolf Hitler, a tired man who sees his "Reich" fall, but cannot accept it. Overall (type)casting is very good; all the actors chosen to portray a famous/notorious character look a lot like the real deal, especially Goebbels. Although I'm not a fan of long war movies, these 2,5 hours passed very quickly due to excellent acting, great sets, FX and storyline. Somehow, every scene is dripping with underlying tension that never really explodes; a kind of unsettling unbelieved grips you when you see seemingly ordinary people commit astonishing atrocities and sins towards mankind, just for their faith and loyalty to one man, Hitler, who himself walks the edge of reason.

Great movie : 10/10 without a doubt.

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213 out of 257 people found the following comment useful :-
A truer rendition of Hitler I've never seen..., 15 September 2004
Author: Adam Mezei (adammezei@hotmail.com)

Not since perhaps Rod Steiger's portrayal of Benito Mussolini in Moustapha Akkad's LION OF THE DESERT (1980) have I seen a notorious dictator more realistically acted than Bruno Ganz's stunning display as "Der Fuerer" in The Downfall (2004).

Sitting amongst a full-house of patrons here at the Toronto Int'l Film Festival's 2004 edition, Ganz captivated the local audience with the scariest Hitler I've ever seen up on the silver screen -- better than Noah Taylor's English Hitler in MAX just a couple of years back.

Audience members get a glimpse into the final days of Hitler's rule from the bunker deep beneath the Reich Chancellery in Nazi Berlin's dying days. The defeated spirit of the Nazis -- covered extensively in the history books -- has seldomly been more penetratingly shown on the Big Screen. Bravo to director Oliver Hirschbiegel for doing this the right (German) way -- for intrepidly tackling a period piece few German producers might.

I'd had a chance to chat with the actors post-screening, with lead actress Alexandra Maria Lara (playing Traudl Junge) candidly admitting the sheer amount of work she'd diligently invested in bringing her character to life -- doubtless complicated by the death of Frau Junge in 2002. Her research, however, was clearly impeccable and left no stone unturned. Corinna Harfouch wasn't on hand -- as Magda Goebbels. Pity because in many respects, she convincingly stole the show.

So rarely do we see Hitler on screen in modern days to allow us a glimpse into the horrifying nature of a madman bent on global domination. We all know the end of this story, but seldom does a film so masterfully suspend your disbelief than does The Downfall in making you wonder just how the Third Reich might end. Historical fiction might never be the same.

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217 out of 267 people found the following comment useful :-
This movie has physically touched me! ....wow., 28 February 2005

Author: Shc-Shc from London

I don't know what to say about this film. I am almost speechless.

First of all, this is almost PERFECT cinema, beautifully shot, acted, lit, staged and on and on. BUt it is also the only film in recent memory that had an almost physical impact on me. I left feeling disoriented and very disquieted, a feeling that lasted for several hours.

What we have here is an exercise in patience. A film that allows us to watch the disintegration of the largest empire in modern history, from the inside out. Beginning after the start of the siege of Berlin, the bulk of the film takes place in the cramped bunkers below the city, where Hitler and his officers are trapped like rats on a sinking ship, aware of their fate, but not smart enough, not willing enough, or maybe incapable of escaping the fates they created for themselves.

This is a daring, brilliant film with a virtuoso performance by Bruno Ganz as Hitler. He shows us that beneath the genocidal, world changing shell of hatred that the globe knew, Hitler was still that petty, hatefilled, failed art-student that he was before becoming the greatest villain in history.

awesome, awesome, awesome movie.

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220 out of 287 people found the following comment useful :-
Impressive, 12 November 2004

Author: SithApprentice from Mainaschaff, Germany

Considering the fact how hard it is to make an adequate movie about the Third Rich and especially Hitler himself, "Der Untergang" is a superb portrayal of the last days of Hitler, his minions and the Third Rich. First of all, Bruno Ganz' performance is magnificent, brilliant, perfect. You're beginning to think he IS the Fuehrer, his look, his mannerism, his sick philosophy of life and his downfall are absolutely convincing. After seeing him you can finally understand why so many people back then were attracted by his charisma, but thanks to Ganz' performance you do not forget about the terrible crimes he committed by his followers and about the evil inside the sick soul of this man. His minions weren't that important in this movie, except for Joseph Goebbels and his family. Heinrich Himmler, the ReichsfuehrerSS, was portrayed as the man he was: an idiotic coward, who was in great part responsible for the Holocaust and still believed in a peace agreement with the allied forces, although this idea was completely out of place. Albert Speer as one of the less criminal national socialists was also quite good interpreted. Martin Bormann, Alfred Jodl and Wilhelm Keitel, 3 other important Nazis, got too few screen time, and Hermann Goering didn't even show up, he was just mentioned. I think Goebbels wasn't portrayed that authentic as he could have, due to the fact he was the most intelligent of Hitler's inner circle, but in some scenes he seemed like someone who could just repeat his own slogans. The part about Traudl Junge and the boy from the Volkssturm, Peter, was also quite good, but it was clearly overshadowed by the Hitler/ minion part. There are also some surprisingly well done battle- sequences taking place in Berlin, in which you can also see a part of the pretty high amount of blood and violence, for example when a soldier gets shot through his head, some officers are committing suicide or the killing of the Goebbels children, a scene which gave me the chills. Due to it's high authenticity, great actors and an important message, this movie could become as important as Schindler's List already is, in order to show today's youth the insanity of Hitler and the whole Third Rich and to make them avoid racist and extreme right wing organisations. All in all, this is one of the best German flicks I've ever seen - although there isn't such a huge number of good German movies. 10/10

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193 out of 259 people found the following comment useful :-
this is the best...., 21 December 2004

Author: sjcsiba from Groningen, the Netherlands

Who better to make a WWII film than the Germans themselves? This is possibly the best WWII film I have seen yet. It is a very intense movie about the final days of Adolf Hitler (a SUPERB roll played by Bruno Ganz, he should get at least one Oscar for this...) which had me coming back to see the movie a second and even a third time (I saw T3 only twice, he he). And not only Bruno Ganz has done a great performance, the entire cast gives it all their best. Very good film indeed.

As I said, it's a film about Adolf Hitlers final days, trapped in a bunker in Berlin, while the Russians are slowly moving closer. Hitler losing his faith in a 'good' outcome, the final bullet, everything is has happened for real. But when I left the cinema I had the idea I had just been watching a fictional story. A perfect script, made in real life 59 years ago. Not much to say about anything else. If you are interested in WWII stuff, go see it in the cinema, it's worth every penny.

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135 out of 160 people found the following comment useful :-
The last days at the bunker, 19 March 2005

Author: jotix100 from New York

This magnificent film goes where no one else dared to go to show us the last days of Adolf Hitler. The director, Oliver Hirshbiegel, working with a big cast, brings to life the madness of the last days of the monster, as observed by a young and impressionable secretary who witnessed most of the crisis.

At the beginning of the film we watch as five young women are brought to be interviewed by Hitler for a job as his personal secretary. Young Traudl Junge is selected. She is a pretty woman who is naive in many ways and probably had no inkling about the trip she was going to embark.

The film captures the tragic figure of Hitler as everything is caving in on him and his grand plans for victory. We watch a man at the beginning of the film that is still thinking he is in command of the German forces, but his authority has eroded, as it becomes clear to the people under him the war is lost and it will be a matter of time before they are defeated.

We watch the life of privilege the higher ups led inside the bunker. It was a fortification in which all comforts the regular Germans could not imagine existed. We get to know the people in Hitler's inner circle. The Goebbels, both Joseph and Magda, supporters of the regime, maintain the loyalty to the Fuhrer until the end. The scene where Magda Goebbels murders her children is hard to take and we keep sinking in our seats, as we can't believe such cruelty existed. In her narrow view of things, Magda must take her family with her to a death these children didn't deserve.

The film is totally dominated by Bruno Ganz. As Hitler, he makes us see this man as he probably was in real life. Mr. Ganz's uncanny resemblance with Hitler is what makes the film works the way it does. At times, Mr. Ganz is totally irrational, and at times, he is presented as a lost man who can't see what he has done to Germany and to Europe and the world.

As Traudl Junge, the young secretary, Alexandra Maria Lara gives a subtle performance. She saw plenty inside the bunker and lived to tell it to the world. The other excellent performance is given by Corinna Harfouch, who as Mrs. Goebbels makes us cringe in horror because of what she is capable of doing. Juliane Kohler, as Eva Braun, is an enigma. At times, she is presented as a carefree young woman who might have loved Hitler. Yet, we don't ever know what made this Eva Braun tick. Ulrich Matthes as Joseph Goebbels and Heino Ferch as Albert Speer are equally effective playing these two men.

The director and his team have to be congratulated for taking us on a voyage to see the last moments of the Third Reich.

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