Anthropoid (2016)

Waste of time

One of my all time favorites.

I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

The plot is based on the WWII operation to assassinate the Reich's third in command, Reinhard Heydrich. A group of Czechoslovakian soldiers chose to follow orders, a rather commendable action that the film throughly explores. Disregarding their own fates, they chose to do what they believed was the right decision made by government officials in London. They knew the power that Heydrich held in Czechoslovakia and was a valuable asset to the Nazi regime. The beauty of this film, is that I knew nothing about Operation Anthropoid. Having watched this I've taken several pieces of information away therefore proving to be a successful representation of the story. The cast were all pretty good, especially Jamie Dornan who conveyed that vulnerability really well. The legend though, and I use that word with great power, is Cillian Murphy. Possibly one of the most underrated actors working today, he was superb yet again. The more serious and level headed of the pair, he showed emotional conviction and a sense of authority. One thing I did notice was that the forced Czech accents were fading in certain scenes, I'm not the biggest fan of English actors putting on fake European accents. Sean Ellis was a solid director, the final act alone impressed me. Oh and the last five minutes...palpable. Some really beautiful cinematography and was able to capture the tension terrifically. The production design was also fitting, it felt like 1940's Prague and I couldn't tell if any green screen backdrops were used so it looked authentic to me. My biggest negative is the pacing. The first half is so slow and monotonous that I was convinced this was going to go no where. Second half? BOOM! Action, thrills, tension! Perfect for a big screen iteration. The third act is just relentless war...definitely captivating. I also wished the screenplay explored the consequences of the assassination attempt, there was just one scene. Overall though, a slow first half leads to a thrilling second half. Educational and exciting.

Saw 'Anthropoid' as somebody fascinated by the story of the before, during and after the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich (a nasty piece of work who really was The Man with the Iron Heart), told from the point of view of the conspirators/assassins.'Anthropoid' takes a little time (a little too much) to gel and get going and some of the shakiness of the camera did feel excessive at times. Anybody watching the film looking for it to be historically accurate will, judging from the comments already made, be in despair. Stick with 'Anthropoid' though, don't be put off by the slow start. When the tension and emotion properly kicks in it is richly rewarding.Excepting some of the camera work, 'Anthropoid' is well made on a visual level. There is a claustrophobic atmosphere evoked that on the most part heightened the urgency levels. There is a real feeling of evocative authenticity, with attractive costumes that captured the era well, elegant interiors and very atmospherically grim landscapes. The music is suitably haunting and Sean Ellis' direction is very strong in the second half, at its very best at the end. The script is thoughtful and doesn't ramble or confuse. The story is gripping on the most part, with the second half in particular having a lot of heart-pulsing tension and emotional power. The ending is brutal, rousing and very moving, will admit to crying. 'Anthropoid' by all means is not an easy watch, then again considering the subject matter nobody should expect it to not be. It pulls no punches and doesn't hold back, making for scenes that are disturbingly harrowing. A great job is done too with making the assassins interesting and rootable. Anybody who knew how nasty a piece of work Heydrich was would find it an easy thing to empathise, those who don't know so much will understand their point of view very quickly without being manipulated to.Very good performances all round, didn't matter at all as to whether it was a starry cast or an all Czech one with subtitles (either would have worked). Cillian Murphy effortlessly provides the heart of the film in understated, stoic fashion. Jamie Dornan is another case of somebody showing that they can act if given the right material. Toby Jones is solid. On the whole, gripping film, although it doesn't get going straight away it is well worth sticking with. 8/10 Bethany Cox

I feel that this film doesn't do justice to the story of Anthropoid. If you're going to tackle something like this with a reasonable budget, you surely have a responsibility to do it well. My fear is that the generation of people being introduced to the story via this film (which they will do as its stars '50 Shades' Dornan, and Nolan- regular Cillian Murphy) won't understand any of the true depth or complexities of what happened. Great that they get to know about it at all, but it'll often be a case of "hmm, what next, Stranger Things?" rather than looking further or realising how much more there was to it. It completely fails to set the context of what was going on in Prague at the time, the atmosphere of oppression with Heydrich's initiatives and the regular executions. Unforgivably, it fails to give any detail or context whatsoever to Heydrich, who this person was, why the Czechs feared him, or how he was instrumental in vast atrocities including the 'final solution'. Having had more context would have framed the story better in terms of how terrifying and important this mission really was. The actors weren't well directed at all - carrying the implication of foreboding via constant frowns and moodiness, whereas in reality the two (Gabcik especially) were more light-hearted and energetic. The director again fakes (unnecessary) tension by making Kubis trembling and panic-stricken - he didn't and wasn't. It doesn't mention how they landed far away from the intended landing point - and how they had to back track all the way to Pilsen to meet their contacts before getting into Prague (a huge inconvenience being that they landed quite near Prague). The HUGE story of what happened to Lidice and other reprisals is glossed over with a few lines of dialogue. Hitler's reaction to Heydrich's assassination, the strict curfew, mass arrests, executions, hundreds of thousands of house searches - so many moments of pure terror and fear that are just missed entirely. Cinematically the story is rich with such moments for raw emotional impact, so its a travesty that the first half of the film is pretty dull, choosing to focus instead on the romance element - in cheesy crowd-pandering fashion. It also looks like a TV movie at best. The ending is appalling - rather than let the situation speak for itself, the director chooses to ram it down your throat with a muted soundtrack, cheesy piano score, and suggesting that Gabcik was fantasising about his dead girlfriend (she didn't die before Gabcik at all). With HHhH (The Man With The Iron Heart) also completely messing this story up, its a shame that there are probably no opportunities left now without it seeming like overkill. The original Czech film Atentat is still the best and most atmospheric version.

Although it takes a while to understand everything that is happening in "Anthropoid", the tension builds and builds to a truly stunning climax.The filmmakers have taken a very up close and personal approach to the events and it makes for a powerful experience.Czech agents Jozef Gabčík (Cillian Murphy) and Jan Kubiš (Jamie Dorman) are dropped into Nazi occupied Czechoslovakia to assassinate the Nazi governor, Reinhard Heydrich. Although successful they are betrayed. Their associates are uncovered and tortured. Finally the small band of agents is trapped and make a desperate last stand. The film is an epic war movie, but played out in picturesque streets, small apartments and finally in a beautiful old church.Lewis Gilbert of "Alfie" fame directed a version of the story in 1975's "Operation Daybreak". Like "Anthropoid" it was filmed largely where it happened, however it attempted to cover more territory starting with the planning in England. It also gave more screen time to Heydrich."Anthropoid" views Heydrich at a distance, much the way he would have been seen by Gabčík and Kubiš.Sean Ellis's film digs deep into the characters with Gabcik and Kubiš shown overcoming personal fears. The film does not shrink from the brutality of the Nazis; the scenes where the conspirators are captured and tortured are grim, and they herald what would befall the agents if they surrendered. It partly explains why they fought so hard – saving the last bullet for themselves.A documentary on the History Channel, "Nazi Hunters; Killing Reinhard Heydrich", posed the question of whether the cost of the assassination to the Czech people was worth it as thousands of men women and children were killed in reprisals.One aspect of the assassination worth considering was Heydrich's potential as number three in the Nazi hierarchy. Hitler loved the guy. Although ruthless (the man with the iron heart) he was brave. He was also intelligent and highly capable. It is thought that Himmler regarded him as a rival and may have denied him medical treatment at the end.If he had not been eliminated, what would Heydrich have been capable of as Hitler began to lose his grip on reality? Heydrich had more guts than Himmler and was more astute than morphine-addicted Goering. Seen in that light, Jozef Gabčík and Jan Kubiš may have changed the course of history more than they knew."Anthropoid" is beautifully made and the staging of the final battle in Ss. Cyril and Methodius Cathedral is so intense you almost feel the chips of masonry hit you in the face. The filmmakers and the actors seemed inspired by the events they were portraying. They have created something unforgettable.