My grandparents were children living in Berlin, Germany during World War 2 and remembered the air raids vividly, as well as the terror that accompanied cowering in the basement and feeling the earth rumble, fearing for their lifes, while houses right down the street where bombed to bits.
When I told them about this movie in 2004, they had to go see it and I was eager to hear what they thought. They are usually jovial and upbeat, but they felt great sorrow and despair when they saw this movie. They cried in the movie theater. It was not just a movie to them, they travelled back in time to a long forgotten and repressed time.

I thought this movie was very well made and Bruno Ganz acts frighteningly well as Adolf Hitler, but seeing how my grandparents reacted, I think this movie is also a beacon to let people remember the terror that came with war, and those that were not born yet, to get a small glimpse into that reality.

9/10 - Edge-of-the-seat atmosphere, combined with a tour de force by Bruno Ganz makes this one a winner

Absolutely amazing history movie must watch for everyone!

Excelente película que nos lleva a esos últimos días de la caída de Imperio Nazi, nos muestra todo lo que tuvieron que vivir dichas personas, una historia muy trabajada y que transmite y te hace sentir lo que te cuenta. Excelente actuaciones, primordialmente la de Bruno Ganz.
Muy buena pelicula, recomendada para verla y que puedas ver desde otro angulo la historia de la guerra, en este caso desde el punto de vista de los alemanes, sus acciones y fe que profesaban por su alocado líder.

_Downfall_ is a captivating movie that brings to life an important part of history. The film does an excellent job of depicting the final days of Hitler's regime and the downfall of Nazi Germany. The acting performances are superb, particularly that of Bruno Ganz as Adolf Hitler, who portrays the dictator with a remarkable level of authenticity. The attention to historical detail is impressive and the movie successfully captures the atmosphere of the time. Overall, _Downfall_ is a good movie that is both informative and entertaining.

The overall state of German cinema is a bit of a wasteland, but at least it is good at examining the Nazi era. 'Downfall' is no exception. The movie offers an interesting insight into the final days in the Führerbunker during World War II. The atmosphere is strong, and the performances are also good. Bruno Ganz in particular stands out as Adolf Hitler, rarely drifting into the parody territory that is common with Hitler portrayals.

What drags the movie down somewhat is the absolute determination to have characters that are somewhat 'likable'. This was an endeavor that was doomed to fail from the start because everyone who was in the Führerbunker was guilty of something. The character panels at the end of the movie seemed extra misguided in this regard, leaving a bad aftertaste. But 'Downfall' is still good overall.

An incredibly powerful World War II epic, Downfall is a German war drama about the final days of the Third Reich. Partially based on the biography of Traudl Junge (Adolf Hitler's personal secretary), the story follows the events of the Battle of Berlin as the Russian Army lays seize and Hitler and the Nazi high command face inevitable defeat. The performances are also especially good; particularly Bruno Ganz, who gives an exceptionally compelling and humanizing depiction of Hitler. And, the directing of Oliver Hirschbiegel adds an extraordinary level of realism that's quite engrossing. Downfall presents a fascinating historical look into the Nazi regime, and at how they chose to face their defeat at the end of the war.

That scene where Hitler and Speer are looking over the model of Berlin... soulcrushing.

Come for the meme, stay for the story.

"Downfall" is a depressing tale of madmen and the final 10 days of the terror that they brought to the world. The crumbling of the Nazi war machine and its biases and hatred against humanity are partly revealed here. This movie makes it all too clear that Hitler was insane but had a powerful hold over so many. How one man can control the minds and acts of so many is terrifying.

This film is claustrophobic as it takes place almost entirely in Hitler's bunker. The conflicts, conversations, and behaviors of those in the bunker is amazing in its realism and tension.

The only thing that holds this film back for me ever so slightly is that I thought it could have done a little more to explain who Hitler's key officers were before the "where are they now" montage at its end.

Perfect acting and really gets you to live with them, really engrossing.
Would've given it a 10/10 if not for some historical inaccuracies.

This is one of the essential films about World War II. An absolute powerful and captivating portrayal of the downfall of the Third Reich. The film features incredible performances by Bruno Ganz, Alexandra Maria Lara and the rest of the cast. It is my all time favorite German film and a must-see for everyone interested in the topic.

After almost 2 decades of anticipation, I finally watched this movie. Truth to be told, I was a little disappointed. It is okay I guess, acting and realism of the environment is most noteworthy, but it could not captivate me. Maybe because I am too familiar with the story already, and I felt bored at several points. The editing was also kind of chaotic at times in my experience. It's possible that 17 years of procrastination made me have too high expectations, and me already not being a massive war movie fan to begin with doesn't help I guess.

Like watching what could've been had Trump won another term...but in German.

Fantastic movie that I saw many years ago and suddenly decided to return to after watching Axis Sally.

The original title of the film is Der Untergang.