Holocaust

Downfall (Der Untergang in its native German) is certainly one of the more gripping films I've seen in awhile. It begins with the selection of Traudl Junge as Hitler's personal secretary. The rest of the film is mainly seen through her perspective, as Hitler, along with most of his circle of Nazi El...moreite, hole up in his bunker in Berlin with the Allies and Russians closing in.

This film is groundbreaking in a number of ways. Bruno Ganz portrays Hitler with a frighteningly similarity. The film also shows Hitler in a light no other films have ever shown - eating a meal, talking to friends - as a human. The viewer gets the sick feeling of watching the banality of an evil man.

The film is very historically backed up, and very little is fictitious. I doubt if every word spoken is historically true, but every major event is there, in chilling detail. Alexandra Maria Lara, (who plays Trudel), along with the rest of the major cast, show the frightening devotion they had at the time had for their Führer. The film was made in Germany with German actors, breaking a long taboo on creating any Nazi image.

Amazingly acted, historically accurate and chillingly real - this film is a must see.