Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		5.0

Downfall Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov February 6, 2009

Oliver Hirschbiegel's "Der Untergang" a.k.a. "Downfall" (2004) is a spectacular account of the last days of the Nazi regime. Swiss actor Bruno Ganz delivers an unforgettable performance that will undoubtedly be regarded as the greatest achievement of his career. Courtesy of UK-based distributors Momentum Pictures.

Bruno Ganz as Hitler

April 1945. Berlin is surrounded by the Red Army. Hitler and the leaders of the National Socialist Party have gathered in a bunker close to the once glorious Reichstag to discuss their strategy. Outside, on the streets of Berlin, soldiers, civilians, and even kids, are summoned to fight for their city.

Disillusioned and crushed, Hitler is beginning to realize that the end is near. His staff and closest friends are told to prepare their wishes. Yet, his commanders, their wives and mistresses, and the few soldiers that have been asked to defend them begin to celebrate. Paranoia has taken over.

Based on the books "Until the Final Hour" by Hitler's secretary Traudl Junge and "Inside Hitler's Bunker" by Joachim Fest, Oliver Hirschbiegel's Downfall chronicles the last days of Hitler (Bruno Ganz, Wings of Desire). Unsurprisingly, the majority of the film takes place inside the bunker where the Nazi leader supposedly committed suicide.

Downfall also follows the deeds of those who Hitler trusted the most. Eva Braun (Juliane Kohler, Nowhere in Africa), Traudl Junge (Alexandra Maria Lara, Youth Without Youth), Joseph Goebbels (Ulrich Matthes, The Ninth Day), and Albert Speer (Heino Ferch, The Tunnel) all play a special part in the chaos that engulfs the bunker once it becomes obvious that Berlin will fall. As a result, the film manages to capture the madness and intensity of the Nazi regime's collapse exceptionally well (the tragic events are seen from a number of different points of view, not just Hitler's).

Still, the narrative is primarily built around Hitler's struggle to surmount the fact that his vision of Greater Germania is slowly eroding. We witness the gradual transformation that he undergoes as well as the demoralizing effect it has on those around him. In a somewhat bizarre way, we begin to understand precisely what tormented Hitler's soul.

Logically, the film's greatest accomplishment is its extraordinary ability to show the Nazi leader in a manner few other films that I could recall have. Oliver Hirschbiegel gives us a man who is a brilliant orator and spectacular tactician. He knows how to control the emotions of his generals as well as how to manipulate their minds.

What takes place outside of Hitler's bunker is just as impressive. The human pandemonium that filled the streets of Berlin hours before the Russians took over is captured magnificently. Downfall shows a chaotic movement of people that is as bizarre and fascinating to behold as the wild celebrations of the Nazis seen towards the end of the film. Indeed, the sense of grandiose failure achieved by Oliver Hirschbiegel and his team is absolutely stunning.

It has been quite a while now since I first saw Downfall at my local theater. The impact it had on me was tremendous, and for weeks I thought about what I had seen. I was enormously moved by it not because I was told a story that I was not familiar with, but because I witnessed the resurrection of a historic figure that has never been truthfully depicted in cinema.

Downfall Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with VC-1, and granted a 1080p transfer Oliver Hirschbiegel's Downfall arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of UK-based distributors Momentum Pictures.

It is very easy to tell how notably stronger this Blu-ray transfer is when we compare it side by side with Sony Pictures' R1 DVD release of the film from 2005. The film grain is much more prominent, detail better, and clarity substantially stronger. Edge-enhancement isn't an issue of concern. Detail appears strong, and I certainly did not detect any artificial enhancements to report here. The color-scheme, the film's key feature, is also intact. As intended by Oliver Hirschbiegel, the Blu-ray transfer reveals a somewhat faded, at times even worn-out, look which is very much in sync with the film's dramatic subject matter. On the other hand, the actual print is healthy, and I certainly did not detect any disturbing debris, specks, and scratches. To sum it all up, Downfall looks spectacular on Blu-ray, and I strongly encourage you to consider upgrading your SDVDs. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray disc which you will be able to play on your PS3 or SA regardless of your geographical location).

Downfall Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one audio track that Momentum Pictures have provided for Downfall - German Dolby Digital 5.1. Some of you will probably be disappointed by the fact that there isn't a more elaborate audio mix on this release but given that Downfall is primarily a dialog-driven feature, I believe that a DTS-HD Master Audio, or a Dolby True HD track, would have been practically identical to the Dolby Digital 5.1 Momentum Pictures have secured (the soundtrack by Stephan Zacharias is mostly subdued and very atmospheric). This being said, the dialog is crisp and very easy to follow. Furthermore, I did not detect any balance issues to report here either. On the other hand, surround activity is practically nonexistent. With the exception of a few explosions that occur during the first half of Downfall as well as bits of the music soundtrack at the very end, you will not have your audio system tested at all. This being said, the English subtitles Momentum Pictures have provided are actually imposed, which means that you will not be able to turn them off.

Downfall Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Note: All of the supplemental features on this Blu-ray disc are perfectly playable on North American PS3s and SAs. They are encoded in 480/60i.

There are a number of interesting extras on this Blu-ray disc. "The Making of Downfall" delivers an inside look at the production history of the film while it also offers fascinating comments from the cast and crew. There is also some interesting historic information pertaining to Hitler's final days. "Melissa Muller about Traudl Junge" provides a wealth of information about Traudl Junge's contribution to Until The Final Hour. Co- author Melissa Muller also talks about her encounter with Hitler's secretary and a lot of the invaluable information she provided for her research. "The Shooting of Downfall" is divided into two sections - Shooting In Russia with audio commentary by Christine Rothe (Production Executive) and Bernd Lepel (Production Designer), and B-Roll - Shooting Downfall with audio commentary by director Oliver Hirschbiegel. Both extras provide a tremendous amount of information addressing the technical difficulties the crew of Downfall faced during the actual production. The director's commentary is very informative as it provides a detailed analysis on a number of key scenes from the film. Finally, there is a very large gallery of interviews with: Bruno Ganz, Alexandra Maria Lara (Traudl Junge), Corinna Harfouch (Magda Goebbels), Ulrich Matthes (Joseph Goebbels), Juliane Kohler (Eva Brown), Heino Ferch (Albert Speer), Ulrich Noethen (Reichsfuhrer SS Heinrich Himmler), Thomas Kretschmann (Herman Fegelein), Thomas Thieme (Martin Bormann), Bernd Eichinger (writer-producer), Joachim Feist (author-historical sketch), and director Oliver Hirschbiegel. (For the record, the English-language commentary by Oliver Hirschbiegel found on the R1 DVD Sony released in North America is not included on this Blu-ray disc).

Downfall Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Downfall is a film that will forever have a place in the annals of cinema. It is powerful, disturbing, and impossible to forget. Do not miss it! The Blu-ray disc herein reviewed, courtesy of Momentum Pictures, is a serious upgrade over the R1 DVD (even without a lossless audio track). The video quality is good and the extras very informative. Highly Recommended.