"Der Untergang" (2004)

As someone who had a real overkill of war movies in childhood (every child in 1970s Ex Yu knew those filmed WW2 epics with Partizans and Nazis too well) not to mention that I actually had my first hand war experience, at this point I avoid war movies and it became one of things like football, boxing or fishing that I simply accepted I can live without. To put it simply, I don't find entertaining or interesting to spend time watching unhappy, scared people screaming and running around while earth shatters under bombs and such - my dislike of anything warlike goes so far that I never even bought any single "army" clothes item that were so fashionable at certain point. Not that I was myself anything like those war heroes one see in the movies, my own war experience taught me that its more like that classic, satirical novel "The Good Soldier Švejk" where completely illogical things happen to ordinary people swept away in surreal vicious circle of nightmare. Yes, we all know about WW2 but it still didn't make me enjoy "Schindler's list" and I sat very uncomfortably during the screening and don't need to see it ever again. Very, very rarely I have seen war movie that I really enjoyed and those were actually war dramas like "Grand Illusion"(1937) or "The Best Years of Our Lives"(1946) that had superb acting, moving message and no war action at all. Now I can add the new movie on my list and it might be really one of the best war movies I have ever seen.

"Der Untergang" (2004) translated as "Downfall" for international market is lengthy (almost 3 hours) story about last days in Hitler's underground bunker when he was surrounded with only the most faithful followers as Berlin was being trashed and destroyed by advancing Russian army. The whole world is falling down on him, Third Reich is obviously only a dream that he can't let go,his own soldiers are completely destroyed (only soldiers left to protect Berlin are kids recruited as "Hitler Jugend") and even people in the bunker are only here because they have no other alternative. Yes, movie is German and based on several war memoirs of survivors who were there - historian Joachim Fest actually wrote a book "Inside of Hitler's Bunker" and he helped with making a script true to reality, but this is only part of the reason why the movie is such a strong experience. I have read a lot about this and all those scenes, sentences and even gestures actually happened (when disillusioned with his own generals, Hitler goes to congratulate to teenagers who are still fighting on the streets of Berlin and awkwardly grabs boy's cheek) - and than, there is acting. Director Oliver Hirschbiegel didn't just go for visual similarity though this has been achieved and can be checked with shocking results, he has calmly and objectively showed psychological turmoil these people experienced, their fears, refusals to accept the reality and nightmare that became their lives. Swiss actor Bruno Ganz is so perfect that watching him is chilling, almost scary experience - from the voice mannerisms to hand shaking to pathological switch between rage, illogical monologues, charming politeness and racist ramblings he IS the man crashing down completely. There is the whole team of excellent actors who were used to great effect even though their roles appear small - Eva Braun (Juliane Köhler) is beautiful, submissive and forcefully cheerful like she is pushing herself and everybody around to enjoy, dance and have good time (just one more cigarette) but than she sits alone in front of the mirror and in a stunning, wordless scene watches herself, gazing at the reality and death approaching. The whole Goebbels family re-creating suicide exactly as it happened, with soldiers waiting around the corner to burn their bodies. Young, naive secretary (Alexandra Maria Lara as Traudl Junge) hoping until the last moment that this is not the end and not understanding the seriousness of situation. Just watch the face of Albert Speer (brilliant actor Heino Ferch) as he listen her naive questions  - he says not a word and just looks at her. These moments when characters actually don't talk, just a glance or look, it says it all.

I was not surprised that movie was nominated for "Oscar" because it is so powerful, but I was surprised that some critics find the movie "too sympathetic" to Hitler - contrary to what most of the reviews so forcefully argue about, I see it not as glorification of Hitler but as a artful re-creation of true-life story and magnificent piece of psychological portrait, after all the movie does not show Hitler as a victorious or in any sense positive character, he is broken down man lost in his own illusions of grandeur and has no feeling of guilt whatsoever (he finds his war against Jews his biggest accomplishment and does not care for civilian life losses, dismissing it as unimportant - "they have chosen us, so they deserve it") . Brilliant, brilliant movie and I recommend it to everybody - and this is coming from somebody who usually don't care for war movies.