Valkyrie lands on DVD

May 19, 2009 6:34 PM by Joel D. Amos

Posted in Entertainment / Movies & Reviews

Valkyrie In Cruise Control

Valkyrie asks audiences to accept Tom Cruise as a German soldier. Much has been made of that fact, but this is fantasy. Yes, Valkyrie is based on a true story. But in a bigger-picture sense, everything onscreen is make believe, so why not Tom Cruise as a German commando?

Valkyrie and Tom Cruise, now in stores As the Valkyrie DVD and Blu-ray arrives May 19, audiences can decide for themselves whether the casting works. One thing is for sure when it comes to Cruise and his acting. If he is right for the part or not, the actor gives it his all (hello War of the Worlds!).

In Valkyrie, Cruise portrays Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, the man at the center of an insider plot to kill Hitler and put an end to World War II in Europe. This is a rarely told true story of the German Resistance's attempted coup.

Director Bryan Singer (X-Men, The Usual Suspects) showcases a Nazi Germany that possess hope because of the small band of brothers who seek to destroy the Third Reich from within.

It was known as the "July 20 plot" to destroy one of the world's worst tyrants. Cruise's mastermind character also serves as the man who is to deliver the fatal blow to Hitler.

Although history has told us that Hitler would eventually take his own life, watching Valkyrie is no less thrilling. History, in fact, enhances the experience. It illustrates Singer's marvelous detail at bringing stories to life on the screen, regardless of their genre.

Also starring in this gripping historical thriller is Kenneth Branagh, Tom Wilkinson, Terence Stamp, Bill Nighy and Eddie Izzard.

The Valkyrie DVD and Blu-ray contains three hours-plus of special features. The two-disc special edition DVD (which SheKnows received for reviews) contains commentary by Tom Cruise, director Singer and Christopher McQuarrie as well as two interesting featurettes: The Journey to Valkyrie and The Valkyrie Legacy.