Downfall (Der Untergang)

Downfall (Der Untergang) (2004)

  • 91% of critics liked it
    (133 reviews)

  • 92% of users liked it
    (64,839 ratings)

The last ten days of Adolf Hitler and his Nazi regime are seen through the eyes of a young woman in his employ in this historical drama from Germany. Traudl Junge (Alexandra Maria Lara) was 22 years old when, in the fall of 1942, she was hired to be personal secretary to Adolf Hitler (Bruno Ganz).… More

Play Trailer

R, 2 hr. 30 min.
Directed By
Oliver Hirschbiegel
Written By
Bernd Eichinger
Genres
Art House & International, Drama
In Theaters
Dec 31, 2004 Wide
On DVD
Aug 2, 2005
Newmarket Films

Critic Reviews

  • Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

    May be the definitive account of Hitler's final days and the collapse of the Third Reich.

  • Rick Groen, Globe and Mail

    Viewed through a North American lens, the movie itself seems more familiar than fascinating, more innocuous than inflammatory, and, at 21/2 hours, more tedious than anything else.

  • Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star

    For emotional effect it trades less in the spectacle of ebbing power than the tragedy of power's mysterious thrall.

  • Richard Nilsen, Arizona Republic

    Hirschbiegel and Ganz are not apologizing for Nazism. They are trying to come to terms with the fact that the evils of Nazism were invented and carried out by human beings.

  • Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper

    In a remarkable performance, perhaps the most impressive portrait of Hitler ever captured on film, Bruno Ganz plays Hitler as delusional, hateful and cruel man -- but also human.

Read all 14 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Anthony L


    Downfall is probably one of the greatest war films ever made, not just because the acting and directing are sublime but because most importantly it is factual and unglorified like many 'classics' of the genres. Most war films have that one special scene that it is remembered… More

  • Jan Marc M


    Downfall is a true portrayal of the last days of a "human" Adolf Hitler along with the death of a social-political ideology in striking detail. An intimate encounter with history that made me understand that commitment to an ideology is deeply founded on personal absolute… More

  • Chris W


    This is not the first film to capture the final days of Hitler and the Third Reich, but it is the only one I have seen, and it is some kind of masterpiece. What seems most amazing to me is that this is a German/Austrian film production. I say this because it is understandable and not… More

  • Kevin K


    Grade: B (84%) What do we known about Adolf Hitler? He killed Jews for no reason, and tried to conquer Europe. But what happened to Hitler in the end? This is where Downfall comes in to fill in the gap. Downfall shows Hitler's last ten days of leadership before committing… More

  • Ginny  


    "Being young is not an excuse." - Traudl Junge Did Hitler have a reality distortion field? The movie shows the last days of Hitler in his Bunker in Berlin, so dont expect a lot of gunfighting & action. Too many characters revolving around the scenes but still easy to… More

Read all 20 featured audience ratings

Cast

See full cast

Trailers & Clips

facebook_logo

Now you can share movies with your friends on Facebook!

  • Discover movies your friends are watching
  • Keep track of what you want to see
  • Add your reviews to your Timeline