One of the best World War II movies ever. The film deals with the final days of Nazi Germany, pretty much all in Hitler's bunker. A German production, the film features a powerhouse performance by Bruno Ganz, who creates not a sympathetic Hitler but a pitiable one. This is a pathetic individual who has lost all touch with reality. He is compellingly repulsive at all times. We meet not just him, but his coterie--his Donna Reed-esque mistress Eva Braun, his loyal secretary Traudl, the fanatically sycopanthic Dr. Goebbels and his family, and other, more opportunist individuals, like Albert Speer and Hermann Fegelein.

The movie is not for the World War II novice. Those without a firm grasp of the Nazi hierarchy will be lost. Characters come and go very quickly with only a brief line of dialogue to identify their importance. Some can really only be identified by their physical appearance (like Bormann). Even, me, something of a WWII buff, had difficulty keeping track of all the generals.

While graphic violence is rather fleeting, the film is not an easy one to watch. The last hour or so is pretty much the main cast killing themselves, including a devastating portrayal of Mrs. Goebbels forcing her children to ingest cyanide capsules.

The film contains perhaps a few subplots too many--I am not sure of the symbolism of the Hitler Youth character (one of the few purely fictional persons in the movie). Other, more peripheral characters, come off well, such as Dr. Schenck, the hard-working medic.

Each actor does a terrific job with his or her role, with many creating an impression with just a few scenes. With a huge cast, it's impressive how the film generally doesn't confuse us--even "small" characters like Hitler's bodyguard, Gunsche, or the telephone operator, Misch, stick in our minds.

The film loses some dramatic punch after Hitler kills himself, but it's fascinating to see the fates of the supporting characters, perhaps unknown to the audience at large, be revealed.

The only minor criticism I have of this movie is the man playing Goebbels does a good job, but he looks too tall and intense. In my mind he bears more resemblance to Hess than Goebbels, also, does he ever linp, since Goebbels had a club foot.

At one point, I wondered what the unearthly noise was, it was the Russian Katyusha rocket launchers. You can only imagine, as a German soldier, what it was like pyschologically to be on the receiving end of those things as the noise itself could drive you nuts.

This movie has been parodied to death by YOUTUBERS.

I really wish they'd stop.

Once again they forgot the last assassination attempt on Hitler by Albert Spier