Der Untergang

"Der Untergang" (The Downfall) is a rare kind of war film which subverts all the cliches and superstision that have dominated the genre. It's a film about the last hours of the Second World War, a film about despair, insanity, bravery and madness but most of all it's an accurate record of the feelings and beliefs of different kinds of people at that time. The film approaches accurately and historically responsibly the way of thinking and the dillemas of people that have been depicted only as caricatures in modern war films like "Save Private Ryan" without falling into the trap of being pro-nazi. The well known Bruno Ganz delivers a magnificent performance of Adolph Hitler and is well supported by both a talented actors' team (especially Christian Berkel and Ulrich Matthes) and supreme photography and direction, aspects which contribute in making the film the best war film of the decade.