I'll admit that I'm not an avid movie watcher, and I’m definitely not someone who can give out a solid review. But Cine is celebrating favourite movies of 2021, so I thought I'll drop in the one I enjoyed last year.
Munich: The Edge of War is a movie set in the prior period of World War ll. As a person who likes history, WW2 has always been an interest of mine, so when I saw the trailer, my curiosity peaked, and off I went to watch.
The summary, according to rotten tomatoes, goes like this:
Based on the international bestseller by Robert Harris. It is Autumn 1938, and Europe stands on the brink of war. Adolf Hitler is preparing to invade Czechoslovakia, and Neville Chamberlain's government desperately seeks a peaceful solution. With the pressure building, Hugh Legat, a British civil servant, and Paul von Hartmann, a German diplomat, travel to Munich for the emergency Conference. As negotiations begin, the two old friends find themselves at the center of a web of political subterfuge and very real danger. With the whole world watching, can war be averted and, if so, at what cost?
What I liked about the movie is honestly the character dynamics and the emotional turmoil. The strong friendship between the Legat and Hartmann, which pitters out due to differences in political views, is highlighted naturally with a heated argument that doesn't look out of place. More so, it gives insight into how the new generation back then might have viewed Hitler in the start, when the man talked about providing a bright future while hiding his true intentions under the rug. The Germans were to some extent, kept under the veil of a false future Hitler painted for them. And It's when this veil began to lift, the resistance against him started.
For a person who likes to see character development in anything I see or read, this movie was quite satisfying, as Von Hartmann and his journey towards becoming an active resistance member was painted beautifully, giving out a clear view of how he turned from being a Hitler supporter to an opposer.
One of the parts that stood out for me was a scene where Legat and Hartmann say goodbye to each other in Hartmann's car. The scene is both gripping and devastating, because the realisation of sure death and failure screams throughout it, as they see each other for the last time, both not knowing what the future holds for them.
As far as historical drama goes, this one had an engrossing story with absolutely stunning and sharp direction. Even if the story was fictional, the real events woven into it made it more realistic, and I quite enjoyed watching the film play out.
(The snapshots were taken by me while watching the movie.)