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Valkyrie (Blu-ray) Official AVSForum Review

14K views 48 replies 29 participants last post by  Craig Peer 
#1 ·


The Review at a Glance: (max score: 5 )

Film:


Extras:


Audio/Video total rating:

( Max score: 100 )

88






Studio and Year: MGM - 2008
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Feature running time: 120 Minutes
Genre: Thriller/Drama

Disc Format: BD-50
Encoding: AVC (MPEG-4)
Video Aspect: 1.85:1
Resolution: 1080p/24


Audio Format(s): English DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio, Spanish/French Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French, Cantonese, Mandarin, Portuguese, Korean
Starring: Tom Cruise, Bill Nighy, Kenneth Branagh, Tom Wilkinson, Carice Van Houten, Terence Stamp, Thomas Kretschmann, Jamie Parker
Directed by: Bryan Singer
Music by: John Ottoman
Written by: Christopher Macquarrie & Nathan Alexander
Region Code: A

Blu-ray Disc release Date: May 19, 2009







"Can these men see it through?"



Film Synopsis:


This is a remarkable yet seldom told true story of the German Resistance’s attempted coup and assassination of Adolf Hitler. Set in Nazi Germany, Valkyrie chronicles the daring and ingenious “July 20 plot” to eliminate one of the most evil tyrants the world has ever known. Tom Cruise stars as the loyal German nationalist Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, the mastermind behind the plot to kill Hitler and overthrow his fascist regime. Convinced the Nazi leader must die at all costs, Stauffenberg joins with a group of similarly disillusioned officers and civilians whose like minds come together for a common purpose in the face of incredible odds.




My Take:


I am ashamed to admit that I wasn’t familiar with this story prior to the release of Valkyrie. I think that these are significant events that chronicle the fact that not everyone who was apart of the German military and political office during Hitler’s reign were Nazis. That is not to suggest that this fact hasn’t been denoted in other films however this one focuses on an organized group with the ability to effect the change necessary to remove Hitler. Their plan was in fact a good one however back then the technology available required extremely close contact and essentially each piece needed to succinctly fall into place for success. A single misstep is precision or timing could mean not only failure but dire consequences for those involved. This is the foundation that this film is built upon. Colonel von Stauffenberg (Cruise ) is loyal to his country and his men. On a daily basis he sees them dying and his country performing atrocities at the whim of a madman in Adolf Hitler. After he and many of his men are badly injured (he loses his right arm, left eye and two fingers on his left hand) during battle in North Africa he is sought out and recruited by members of a secret German resistance that consists of high ranking military and political personnel that joined together in an effort to kill Adolf Hitler and restructure the government/military and put an end to the war for the betterment of Germany. On their own they have tried unsuccessfully to complete this task. In Stauffenberg they have found a brilliant strategist and someone whose disillusionment with the Nazi regime guarantees allegiance and dedication. Ultimately it is Stauffenberg who comes up with the idea to use the Reserve German Army which his a group of select military put in place by Hitler’s own devise to maintain order and protect Berlin in the event of his death and/or a National emergency. The plan is called operation Valkyrie. Stauffenberg knows this and devises a way to use Valkyrie to arrest political personnel, Hitler loyalists and key members the dreaded Nazi SS. The plan is covertly redesigned and will go into effect in the event of Hitler’s death. The timing directly afterward must be swift in order to put the new political and military regime into place. The plan is to kill Hitler during a military strategy meeting at the Wolf’s Lair bunker. Much relies on things going exactly according to plan. This means any deviation could potentially be disastrous. The date for the assassination is July 20th 1944 and Stauffenberg himself is to deliver the instrument of destruction. Things don’t go according to plan……

I liked Valkyrie. It isn’t the best history based film that I have seen but I think its story is strong enough to be involving and the subject matter is certainly interesting. Tom Cruise is a one dimensional actor but a film like this plays pretty well to his strengths. Fortunately for us the cast is filled with superlative talent that helps draw out a well rounded core performance that enhanced this film. The screenplay is fine although it sometimes tries too hard to illicit audience reaction/involvement rather than letting the subject matter and character interaction flow naturally. I did enjoy the suspense as things unfolded. Even though I ultimately knew how things would turn out it didn’t prevent me from rooting for the “good guys” to succeed. This isn’t a stirring and moving film which might be its main weak point. The fact that it is about Nazi Germany stimulates emotion but I didn’t feel a strong connection to the main characters in terms of what experiences in their lives may have drawn them into this inner conflict. That goes for Stauffenberg as well even though they do provide a limited glimpse of his situation just before the encounter that cripples him. At two hours it is long but not overly so for a film like this. Actually I would liked to have seen a bit more background on who these men were. The pacing honestly wasn’t bad at all as I never felt the need to check the time as I watched it. I don’t want to give the impression that I am complaining because as I stated earlier I liked this film. I tend to like Bryan Singer’s films and while this may not be his strongest effort I appreciated it just the same. This is film is designed to slowly play out as it builds to its inevitable conclusion. It probably takes a bit too long in its depiction of the intricate play by play of the events as they unfolded. Some may prefer that but I didn’t see it as quite so necessary if more emphasis could have been given to offering the audience the opportunity to see these people who were so willing to risk their lives in more of a personal light. When all was said and done I found that this was an entertaining and sometimes gripping film that I found enjoyable.




Parental Guide:


The rating is for violence and brief strong language.





AUDIO/VIDEO - By The Numbers:
REFERENCE = 92-100 / EXCELLENT = 83-91 / GOOD = 74-82 / AVERAGE = 65-73 / BELOW AVERAGE = under 65

**My audio/video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**


(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)


Audio: 88


  • Dynamics:

  • Low frequency extension:

  • Surround Sound presentation:

  • Clarity/Detail:

  • Dialogue Reproduction:





Video: 88


(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)

  • Resolution/Clarity:

  • Black level/Shadow detail:

  • Color reproduction:

  • Fleshtones:

  • Compression:

Valkyrie comes to Blu-ray Disc from MGM featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 23 mbps and lossless DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio sound that has an average bitrate of 4.1 mbps.

This 1.85:1 framed Blu-ray Disc presentation from MGM features a solid looking video encoding that boasts stable, punchy contrast, bright, detailed whites, and gradationally enhanced grays. This coupled along with deep inky blacks and delineated shadow detail gives images both light and dark excellent depth. The video is crisp and definitively resolved as fidelity appears to be intact. Wide angle shots have appreciable dimension with clear rendering of objects within foregrounds and backgrounds. Close ups reveal lots of subtle refinement as the intricate textures within facial features, clothing, and objects is easily discernible. This isn’t an overly colorful film. Many sequences have a filtered, cool, and desaturated appearance that seems to coincide with the director’s intention. Green is used in various shades that range from bluish green to deeper degrees that represent the differing looks of the German military uniforms and the lush vegetation of the mountains and forests. The differing stages have subtle tonal variety that looks great in high definition. Red is used sparingly and stands out in stark contrast to the mostly sepia toned aesthetic that predominates the rest of the film. Skin tones rarely yield any truly defining complexional characteristics but all appear natural within the scope of the source material. On occasion sharpness wavers however it appears innate as the use of CGI and lighting play a hand in it. Grain is presented in fine even layers that never draws unnecessary attention away from film. Overall quality is excellent as the video has a pristine and three dimensional perspective that is visually pleasing.

The DTS-HD Master Audio sound keeps pace with the video and renders the film’s elements with aplomb. I was impressed with its extended dynamic range and rich, subterranean bass. This is a dialogue driven film however it contains active elements that have the ability to light up your room. The North African bombing sequence in chapter two has excellent dynamic energy, deep bass extension and a 360 degree sound field. Bass heads will appreciate the ultra low, infrasonic low frequency transients that resonate deep within the room during chapter 8 as the Stauffenberg family sits in their basement bomb shelter during a raid. The thundering of the bass drum and timpani featured in John Ottoman’s music score have substantive weight as they accompany the fairly light instrumentation used in his otherwise percussion heavy orchestration. It sounds terrific. While the surround mix isn’t necessarily aggressive the entire platform is regularly used to drive the story by generating atmospheric enhancement that comes in both subtle and direct form that can be engaging. Directional effects moving around the soundstage are right on the money as they travel from one speaker to the next. Detail and clarity are first rate as dialogue, sounds/effects and the music score have clear articulation, definitive aural perception and deep room penetration. This a well balanced and intelligently designed surround sound presentation that delivers the goods.



Bonus Features:

  • Commentary by Tom Cruise, Bryan Singer, and Christopher McQuarrie

  • Commentary by Christopher McQuarrie and Nathan Alexander

  • (HD) The journey to Valkyrie - 15 minute featurette

  • (HD) The road to resistance: A visual guide - 9 minute location documentary

  • (HD) The African front sequence - 7 minute featurette

  • (HD) Taking to the air - 7 minute featurette

  • (HD) Recreating Berlin - 7 minute featurette

  • 92nd Street Y: Reel Pieces featuring Tom Cruise and Bryan Singer - 38 minutes

  • (HD) The Valkyrie legacy - 2 hour documentary

  • Digital Copy Bonus Disc - A standard definition version of the film that can be downloaded from a compatible PC/MAC to a portable media device





Final Thoughts:


Valkyrie is an entertaining and involving film that has tangible historical significance. It brings to light a very important fact that is rarely discussed regarding Germany during Hitler’s reign. Not all Germans were part of the Nazi Party and there were those who were willing to risk everything to save Germany and the world from him. The film isn’t perfect but I appreciated its strong casting, visual authenticity and engaging story. Its debut on Blu-ray Disc from MGM is a complete package in that it offers high level audio/video quality and a great bonus features set that is highlighted by a wonderful 2 hour documentary on the Valkyrie legacy. This film is worth checking out so feel free to pick it up or give it a rent.















Ralph Potts
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews





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Carada Precision Brilliant White 96" Screen

Oppo 970HD universal disc DVD Player (480i HDMI)

Toshiba HD-XA2 HD DVD Player (HDMI Audio/Video)

Panasonic DMP-BD55K Blu-ray disc Player (HDMI Audio/Video)

Sony Playstation 3 Blu-ray disc Player (HDMI Audio/Video)

Marantz DV7001 Universal Disc Player

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Sherbourn Technologies - 7/200 Seven Channel Amplifier

Philips TSU9400 Pro Series Touch Panel Remote Control

Canton "Ergo" Series speakers

Axiom Audio QS8 Quadpolar speakers

SV Sound PB-13 Ultra (Rosenut finish)

APC AV S15BLK Power Conditioner/Surge Protector

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Wireworld, VizionWare, Audioquest, Best Deal Cables - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling

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#4 ·
Nice review, Ralph.
I haven't liked Tom Cruise much since his younger days with "Risky Business" and "Top Gun", but he did a credible job here. As you stated, he was surrounded by a pretty solid group of actors, which helped immensely.


Although dry at times, Valkyrie held my interest throughout. Like you, although we know from history that their plan had failed, it still kept me in suspense. The story also made me think of "what if" and how history would have been drastically altered if their plan succeeded.



Mike T
 
#5 ·
I personally liked this film - I put it in the same category as "We Were Soldiers" - very realistic with no unwarranted sentimentality. I'm not crazy about Cruise either, but he is good in this one - he plays Staufenberg as a man on a mission from the opening scene. He knew he was unlikely to survive, got his family out of harm's way and proceeded with single-minded determination to put an end to what he considered to be evil and not German. Strong military leaders often have personalities that are NOT typically warm and fuzzy, and Cruise plays the Col. to a tee. Highly recommended.


One wonders how history would have evolved if Beck, Staufenberg and the others had succeeded and sued the Western Allies for peace. My guess is we would probably have had to defend Berlin from the Russians. Remember the last scenes from "Patton" ? Given the genius of Compton and Oppenheimer's teams, it would have been a short fight.
 
#6 ·
I studied under Professor Peter Hoffman (the chief historical advisor for this film and the world's leading authority on German resistance and opposition to Hitler) so this film--which I missed at the cinema--has just become a must-own, blind-buy for me (despite my misgivings about Tom Cruise). In particular, this piques my interest because my research focuses on historical feature films, so I look forward to seeing this and how it treats the subject.
 
#7 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ovation /forum/post/16526116


I studied under Professor Peter Hoffman (the chief historical advisor for this film and the world's leading authority on German resistance and opposition to Hitler) so this film--which I missed at the cinema--has just become a must-own, blind-buy for me (despite my misgivings about Tom Cruise). In particular, this piques my interest because my research focuses on historical feature films, so I look forward to seeing this and how it treats the subject.

You'll love the documentary that's on the disc...it's extremely well done.
 
#14 ·
Ralph, you are becoming my go to guy for Bluray reviews. We rented and watched Valkyrie on Sunday night and you review is spot on. I felt the DTS HDMA was one of the better sound tracks I have heard lately. The anti-aircraft fire that starts the North Africa battle scene was startling as were most of the war action sequences.


I was familiar with the story and felt the film did a reasonable job in terms of historical accuracy. I did not get around to watching the bonus material so I may have to purchase this one and give it a look.
 
#15 ·
I saw this last night and thought it was quite good. I'm not a huge Cruise fan, but I liked his performance in this film. I'll have to watch the extras tonight.
 
#16 ·
This subject has been touched on before in film, most notably The Desert Fox, starring James Mason as Field Marshall Rommell, who was forced to commit suicide even though it is questionable that he played an actual role in in the plot itself. Still it was extremely interesting to see an entire film dedicated to the event so one could see how it all came to togther, and how it failed. I am not a big Cruise fan either but agree he did well in his portrayal of Stauffenberg, bolstered by a great supporting cast, too.
 
#17 ·
I did see this movie in the theater and I watched the BD late last week and I enjoyed it both times but I knew what I was in for regarding PQ reading reviews beforehand. It is very good all in all but I'm a bit disappointed as there have been several new releases that have had excellent PQ that have made there way to the format. The indoor scenes IMHO hold this back the most as many (not all) are soft and lack top quality detail versus other great ones.
 
#20 ·
I had read a lot about this event and saw some documentaries about it, too, before I saw Valkyrie in the theater. Thus, not much new was presented when I saw it. That, plus the presence of the never terrible but almost always mediocre Tom Cruise left me less than impressed. In fact, I passed on the opportunity to pick the BD up at my neighborhood Blockbuster store on the day it came out as a free exchange for a mail order disc I was returning that day.


Don't get me wrong, though, Valkyrie covers a fascinating episode in world history and tells the story reasonably accurately. Further, Cruise bears more than just a passing resemblance to Claus von Stauffenberg, the real life German Colonel portrayed by Cruise in the film. As noted, I think that my tepid reaction to the movie would not be typical of anyone who was both not already very familiar with the actual historical events and and had more tolerance for Cruise than I. In short, if you try it you'll probably like it.
 
#21 ·
While I love history, I found this movie contained too much dialog; so much so, I feel asleep twice and never finished watching it because I had to take the blu-ray back to the video store. And, for some reason, I have not interest in renting it again.
 
#22 ·
Great review Ralph, accurate as always! One minor typo: The beautiful actress's name playing Cruise's wife is Carice Van Houten. She is absolutely outstanding in Black Book!
 
#23 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by ImaStar /forum/post/16533482


Great review Ralph, accurate as always! One minor typo: The beautiful actress's name playing Cruise's wife is Carice Van Houten. She is absolutely outstanding in Black Book!

Greetings,


Imastar, thanks for catching that. I loved her in the Black Book..



Regards,
 
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