Erik_Surewaard
Joined Aug 2021
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Erik_Surewaard's rating
Movie based on true events of how Hilde Coppi got involved in the german resistance group named "Rote Kapelle" ("Red Orchestra"). This resistance group was thereby focussed mainly on contacts with Russia. The movie thereby has a main focus on the arrest and imprisonment that took place around 1942-43, whilst Hilde Coppis involvement in the Rote Kapelle is shown through many flashbacks.
At first sight, this movie makes you think about the 2005 movie which is about "Sophie Scholl", whom was a member of the Munich resistance group "Weisse Rose". I personally think though that the two movies could not be more different. The movie about Hilde Coppi is way more slowgoing - and at times even a depressing watch - than the movie about Sophie Scholl. A lot of it has of course to do with what the director of the movie wanted to show: (1) a fast paced life with high risk resistance work in the movie about Sophie Scholl, versus (2) love and suffering in the movie about Hilde Coppi.
The acting and scenes are all very attractive to watch. Apart from some minor mistakes - including the often made mistake of using glasses with modern lenses having a green/purple anti glare coating - this movie looks pretty period-authentic. I personally think though that this movie could benefit significantly if it would be shortened to 90 minutes (instead of its current 125 minutes). It also could benefit from adding good music since it is pretty "silent" on that point.
Overall, I score this movie 5.6/10, resulting in a 6-star IMDb rating. Due to the relevance of the Rote Kapelle resistance group, this movie is an interesting watch for anyone who wants to learn more about how german people themselves tried to pose some resistance against the Nazi regime.
At first sight, this movie makes you think about the 2005 movie which is about "Sophie Scholl", whom was a member of the Munich resistance group "Weisse Rose". I personally think though that the two movies could not be more different. The movie about Hilde Coppi is way more slowgoing - and at times even a depressing watch - than the movie about Sophie Scholl. A lot of it has of course to do with what the director of the movie wanted to show: (1) a fast paced life with high risk resistance work in the movie about Sophie Scholl, versus (2) love and suffering in the movie about Hilde Coppi.
The acting and scenes are all very attractive to watch. Apart from some minor mistakes - including the often made mistake of using glasses with modern lenses having a green/purple anti glare coating - this movie looks pretty period-authentic. I personally think though that this movie could benefit significantly if it would be shortened to 90 minutes (instead of its current 125 minutes). It also could benefit from adding good music since it is pretty "silent" on that point.
Overall, I score this movie 5.6/10, resulting in a 6-star IMDb rating. Due to the relevance of the Rote Kapelle resistance group, this movie is an interesting watch for anyone who wants to learn more about how german people themselves tried to pose some resistance against the Nazi regime.
Let the facts be the facts, and that is why I am honest in admitting that I tried to start watching this series and fall asleep each time after some 10 minutes of watching. I made like 5 attempts, and each time I fell asleep,
As someone with a keen interest in everything about the Second World War (WW2) - I maintain an IMDb list in which I describe and rate over 250 of the best movies and series about WW2 - I was actually looking forward to watching this series. It is not often that you get the ability to get to see a high budget series made on such an important person from the WW2. And it is even more rare to see content in which Mussolini is featured in such detail. It therefore had a lot of things going for it.
But immediately from the start of episode one, it was a huge disappointment. And how much I tried to like it, the way in which it is produced is just so dull and uninteresting! Why on earth could SKY ever greenlight this?! Instead of making a series that is made a good viewing experience for the majority of the audience, it seems to be more some kind of artistic attempt to make some cult-like series destined for winning prizes. Well, in my opinion, it failed in all ways possible! And unfortunately, the format stays the same in all episodes. Dullness after dullness...
Instead of a series that could have reached the top-10 of streaming / veiwing charts for quite a number of weeks, I think it will only gather a very limited interest. And it is such a wasted opportunity! Just look at ather WW2 series that are still being watched many years after its initial release, a series on Mussolini could also have achieved that! But for this, SKY only would have needed to select a director that is able to make a normal series! Instead SKY chose to go with this artistic and experimental format that is unwatchable from the first second. Listening to an audiobook is a lot more appealing than this series.
Concluding, I score this series 3.7/10, resulting in an IMDb rating of only 4 stars. And I personally think that is even generous. Why on earth could people within SKY allow this trainwreck ever to happen?! In my opinion, SKY should really look into sacking several people that were involved in this project. Because in todays age of cutthroat competition on getting an audience, this is just about the worst it can get.
As someone with a keen interest in everything about the Second World War (WW2) - I maintain an IMDb list in which I describe and rate over 250 of the best movies and series about WW2 - I was actually looking forward to watching this series. It is not often that you get the ability to get to see a high budget series made on such an important person from the WW2. And it is even more rare to see content in which Mussolini is featured in such detail. It therefore had a lot of things going for it.
But immediately from the start of episode one, it was a huge disappointment. And how much I tried to like it, the way in which it is produced is just so dull and uninteresting! Why on earth could SKY ever greenlight this?! Instead of making a series that is made a good viewing experience for the majority of the audience, it seems to be more some kind of artistic attempt to make some cult-like series destined for winning prizes. Well, in my opinion, it failed in all ways possible! And unfortunately, the format stays the same in all episodes. Dullness after dullness...
Instead of a series that could have reached the top-10 of streaming / veiwing charts for quite a number of weeks, I think it will only gather a very limited interest. And it is such a wasted opportunity! Just look at ather WW2 series that are still being watched many years after its initial release, a series on Mussolini could also have achieved that! But for this, SKY only would have needed to select a director that is able to make a normal series! Instead SKY chose to go with this artistic and experimental format that is unwatchable from the first second. Listening to an audiobook is a lot more appealing than this series.
Concluding, I score this series 3.7/10, resulting in an IMDb rating of only 4 stars. And I personally think that is even generous. Why on earth could people within SKY allow this trainwreck ever to happen?! In my opinion, SKY should really look into sacking several people that were involved in this project. Because in todays age of cutthroat competition on getting an audience, this is just about the worst it can get.
True story about Gunnar Sønsteby, whom was an important figure in the Norwegian resistance - located in Oslo - during the Nazi occupation of Norway.
A combination of the old "Gunnar Sønsteby" (an actor) and the WW2 Gunnar, it is a back-and-forth between the two of them. Fortunately, this back-and-forth isn't too disturbing. I would have preferred a more chronological movie, whereby only attention is put to the WW2 period.
The acting is very good. Superb however are the scenes! All looks exactly as you would expect things to look like during WW2.
The storyline - apart from being fragmented - would have benefitted greatly from a clear antagonist, "the bad guy". This to give the viewer a better idea on how the Nazi's were trying to identify and locate the resistance members. Because that was something that clearly happened.
Taking into account all of the above, I think that this movie deserves a score of 7.3/10, making it a 7-star IMDb movie.
I personally think that this movie is best watched after you first see the movie "Max Manus - Man of War" (2008), which features the same resistance group. That movie gives a better view on the functioning - and people - in that resistance group. Whereby Gunnar Sønsteby seems to be a leader of the group, it was actually Max Manus - and his close friends - that committed the operational side of the sabotages. In the Max Manus movie, you will see several of the famous sabotages like e.g. The sinking of the Donau war-ship.
As a final remark, I want to comment on the original movie description that accompanies "Nr. 24". It reads that Sønsteby is the greatest war hero of Norway. To say this, does injustice to all people that died during work for the army, the resistance or from Nazi torture or execution. This whilst fighting for Norway's freedom. It would be more fair to name all the people that risked, or even gave their life, a hero. It should not be about whom is able to survive the war - and live the longest - to be able to claim a title like "greatest hero".
A combination of the old "Gunnar Sønsteby" (an actor) and the WW2 Gunnar, it is a back-and-forth between the two of them. Fortunately, this back-and-forth isn't too disturbing. I would have preferred a more chronological movie, whereby only attention is put to the WW2 period.
The acting is very good. Superb however are the scenes! All looks exactly as you would expect things to look like during WW2.
The storyline - apart from being fragmented - would have benefitted greatly from a clear antagonist, "the bad guy". This to give the viewer a better idea on how the Nazi's were trying to identify and locate the resistance members. Because that was something that clearly happened.
Taking into account all of the above, I think that this movie deserves a score of 7.3/10, making it a 7-star IMDb movie.
I personally think that this movie is best watched after you first see the movie "Max Manus - Man of War" (2008), which features the same resistance group. That movie gives a better view on the functioning - and people - in that resistance group. Whereby Gunnar Sønsteby seems to be a leader of the group, it was actually Max Manus - and his close friends - that committed the operational side of the sabotages. In the Max Manus movie, you will see several of the famous sabotages like e.g. The sinking of the Donau war-ship.
As a final remark, I want to comment on the original movie description that accompanies "Nr. 24". It reads that Sønsteby is the greatest war hero of Norway. To say this, does injustice to all people that died during work for the army, the resistance or from Nazi torture or execution. This whilst fighting for Norway's freedom. It would be more fair to name all the people that risked, or even gave their life, a hero. It should not be about whom is able to survive the war - and live the longest - to be able to claim a title like "greatest hero".