Movie Review: 'Downfall' (Der Untergang)
Because of my long-time interest in the topic of World War II, I have watched countless dramas, action-adventures, biopics and documentaries which focus on history's biggest and deadliest clash of arms. Sometimes, of course, I watch World War II movies merely to be entertained; there are lots of movies set during the war that have no greater "mission" than to raise one's adrenaline levels ( The Dirty Dozen, Von Ryan's Express ) or get guffaws out of the audience ( The Pigeon That Took Rome, What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? ). Most of the time, however, I tend to seek some sort of enlightenment, understanding or inspiration - sometimes in purely fictional accounts of men in combat ( Saving Private Ryan, Memphis Belle ), and sometimes in "based on the true story" films that try, within the paradigm of commercial filmmaking, to recreate historical events that took place during the war. Naturally, to get any understanding about the causes and consequenc...