Valkyrie
United Artists | Release Date: December 25, 2008 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
56
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 36 Critic Reviews
Positive:
19
Mixed:
16
Negative:
1
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
91
Seattle Post-IntelligencerWilliam Arnold
The movie works like a clock. A few minor quibbles aside (the casting of Hitler, for instance), Valkyrie is a highly intelligent and deeply engrossing historical drama and, frame for frame, the year's most suspenseful nail-biter. Read full review
83
Portland OregonianM. E. Russell
The film is a minor Christmas miracle: It succeeds on its own terms, despite the gossip hounds' best blood-sniffing efforts, and dares to be an entertainment rather than a statement. Read full review
75
New York PostKyle Smith
A taut suspense flick for grown-ups. Read full review
75
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
Tom Cruise is perfectly satisfactory, if not electrifying, in the leading role. Read full review
75
Entertainment WeeklyLisa Schwarzbaum
The mechanics of the actual plot are pretty amazing. Singer has assembled a top-notch international cast. Read full review
75
ReelViewsJames Berardinelli
Valkyrie, despite being a more straightforward thriller, is less gripping than "Downfall," the most recent film in which Hitler had significant screen time. Read full review
75
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Rick Groen
The result is a fairly co-ordinated effort that, despite a few miscues, yields a consistently watchable film. Read full review
70
The Hollywood ReporterKirk Honeycutt
Singer has crafted a fine film. One just wishes for greater details -- and a different ending. Read full review
70
VarietyTodd McCarthy
Has visual splendor galore, but is a cold work lacking in the requisite tension and suspense. Read full review
70
Film ThreatScott Mendelson
Valkyrie just misses out on being a great film (it’s no Black Book), but it easily merits mention as a good one. Read full review
70
SlateDana Stevens
Once Singer dispenses with the introductory pathos and gets to the nuts and bolts of Stauffenberg's plan, Valkyrie becomes an admirably modest and compact suspense thriller. Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesKenneth Turan
A perfectly acceptable motion picture. The only thing that keeps it from even greater accomplishments may be inherent in the story itself. Read full review
70
Chicago ReaderJ.R. Jones
As a suspense movie, this works pretty well: director Bryan Singer (X-Men, The Usual Suspects) maintains a crisp pace as the plotters set out to kill the fuhrer with a briefcase bomb, and the historical details of the botched coup, which exploited one of Hitler's own contingency plans to mobilize the army reserves and disarm the SS, are inherently interesting. Read full review
70
Washington PostPhilip Kennicott
A brutally efficient bit of storytelling, and it makes no unforced errors. It is admirably free of any Spielbergian effort to squeeze sentimentality or inspirational lessons out of what is a complicated and morally complex story. Read full review
70
Wall Street JournalJoe Morgenstern
Once the plotters plunge into action, though, Valkyrie becomes both an exciting thriller and a useful history lesson. Read full review
63
Rolling StonePeter Travers
Tom Cruise starring in the fact-based story of a plot to kill Hitler by Nazi Col. Claus von Stauffenberg sounds like Oscar bait. It isn't. And the sooner you accept it, the more fun you'll have at this satisfying B movie. Read full review
63
Chicago TribuneMichael Phillips
It's a procedural, often absorbing, rarely surprising, about a briefcase bomb and a near-miss. Yet there's no question the film feels dodgy and vague when it comes to the personalities and ideology of the men onscreen. Read full review
63
Boston GlobeTy Burr
It's a smooth, compelling, almost suspenseful (more on that in a bit), and slightly hollow Hollywood period piece. Read full review
63
PremiereJenni Miller
Marketed as a combination of a popcorn-munching actioner, but that's somewhat misleading -- it's also a well-researched historical thriller. Unfortunately, it ends up not succeeding as either. Read full review
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