Variety’s Tom McCarthy naturally has the first “Valkyrie” review. It sounds a lot like what we all expected. The Tom Cruise-starring, Bryan Singer-directed thriller is not the disaster some foretold, but it’s not exactly 1st-rate either.
“After a long takeoff, “Valkyrie” finally takes flight as a thriller in its second half but never soars very high. Bryan Singer’s long-awaited account of the near-miss assassination of Adolf Hitler by a ring of rebel German army officers on July 20, 1944, has visual splendor galore, but is a cold work lacking in the requisite tension and suspense. This second production from Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner at United Artists will do better than the first, “Lions for Lambs,” but is a decidedly odd choice for Christmas Day release, and looks destined for just so-so commercial returns.”
That pretty much says it all. Apparently, Cruise “is a bit stiff but still adequate.” Ringing endorsement, huh?
