The mission to assassinate one of Hitler’s most dangerous allies comes under the blueprint known as “Anthropoid”. Written and directed by Sean Ellis, “Anthropoid” is based on the extraordinary true story of “Operation Anthropoid,” the code name for the Czechoslovakian operatives’ mission to assassinate SS officer Reinhard Heydrich. Heydrich, the main architect behind the Final Solution, was the Reich’s third in command behind Hitler and Himmler and the leader of Nazi forces in Czechoslovakia. The film follows two soldiers from the Czechoslovakian army-in-exile, Josef Gabcik (Cillian Murphy) and Jan Kubis (Jamie Dornan), who are parachuted into their occupied homeland in December 1941. With limited intelligence and little equipment in a city under lock down, they must find a way to assassinate Heydrich, an operation that would change the face of Europe, as well as the rising tensions in a devastating war forever. The film is rated R for violence and disturbing imagery.
Going into “Anthropoid” knowing very little history about the actual real life events, benefited me to the shock and awe factor that the movie presents. There’s a lot of satisfying aspects to Sean Ellis’s script, even if it takes a little while to get there. Truthfully, the first act of this movie bored me to death. The film isn’t supposed to be a big budget thriller of a movie, understand that first. For the entirety of this film, it is presented very mute and depressing, but that’s reminiscent of the events that are surrounding the film, with the Nazi party reigning supreme early on in World War II. My problem with the first half hour or so is two things. The first, this movie really doesn’t have a beginning. Yes, any opening scene can be defined as a beginning technically, but this movie’s opening scene feels like the story has already been taking place for a half hour when we are seeing and meeting these characters for the first time. There’s very little interaction or personality traits that make anyone stand out, and thankfully the performances save a lot of that dreary aspect of the movie. The second thing, is the film is terribly paced for roughly the first half of the movie. Truth be told, a lot of people will be lost in the clutches of the first hour of this film, searching for some reprieve that will honor the time they’ve spent on a movie that has a visual touch of Oscar magic. Thankfully that day does eventually come within the second half of the movie.
What’s interesting about “Anthropoid” is that the title event is merely the beginning of this movie, and not the big climax. That fact in itself is what opened my eyes to a third act that is among the most riveting that I have seen this year. MINOR SPOILER – Whether you know what happened with Anthropoid or not, what’s refreshing about this story is that it’s more interested in what happened AFTER the planned conspiracy on one of Nazi’s highest ranking officers. The impact of which gives this movie a desperado touch in a European backdrop. That feeling of paranoia among our protagonists is played so proficiently that it incited within me some legitimate fear and uncertainty for where the movie was heading. Knowing as little about these events and characters will benefit you the most in this story, as for once it feels alright not knowing everything about historical events. The final half hour of this movie sets up a climax that will have you tap-dancing on the edge of your seat, with intrigue on the characters who you’ve taken this journey with. It’s a bullet-riddled, emotional roller-coaster that saved the movie from its dreaded opening act, and feels like the juice was worth the long, and at times dull squeeze.
The music and presentation in this movie are right on par for the kinds of fashions and tones that were present in such a depressing atmosphere. I mentioned earlier that the movie’s attitude plays everything very mute, with its touch of sadness and loss in the air. Musical composer Robin Foster captivates with ominous tones that feel respected of the material, never overstaying its welcome or overshadowing the picture itself. What I love about the insertions of music within this film, is that the movie is used quite sparingly. Most movies have an accompanying score that sort of wears out the emotional pallatte of its respected film, but Foster instead lets the atmosphere play for itself here. Without any music, the streets and buildings feel deserted of any positivity or hope, and it makes for so much more during the few action sequences when the instruments do kick on, instilling our hope through even the biggest antagonist army in world history. The costumes are very slick and telling of fashions midway through the 20th century. There’s three piece suits for the men, and soft, flowing elegant gowns for the ladies. The film certainly doesn’t penny pinch from its 9 million dollar budget, garnering the biggest visual prestige that transports us to this tougher time.
On the acting front, I am beyond pleased to announce that Jamie Dornan can indeed act. I know that sounds awfully rude, but after 2015’s mind-numbingly bad “Fifty Shades of Grey”, Dornan proves to the audience in “Anthropoid” that it’s the movies that matter that he brings it for, and boy does he ever bring it here. I mentioned earlier that the character backstory and exposition is practically non-existent here, so the actors have to make the most of and push the boundaries creatively to the audience watching at home. What I love about Jamie’s character here is that he feels like the only one who is destined to still live two different lives: on the battlefield and off. The kind of bravery and composure that Dornan instills proves that Hollywood (and I) was wrong about this guy, and he has the bravado to really make quite a career for himself. Cillian Murphy once again proves his status as Mr. Dependable. He is simply mesmerizing here as a leader of sorts for this rag-tag group. Murphy’s personal touch for the movie is in his ability to tell so much in a simple look, as opposed to belting out a ten minute speech to say the same thing. His details are in the way he looks and responds, and the chemistry between he and Dornan gives this film a brotherhood feel at times, giving the movie higher stakes as the mayhem exceeds spine-tingling limits.
“Anthropoid” starts off quite shaky, but turns its creative engine on in the nick of time, leading to an emotional third act where all of the chips are in on the rocky road ahead. Ellis’s script is another signaling to the credo that war is hell, often building tingling suspension through artistic expression and the sounds of a battlefield that haunt the ears of anyone living for eternity. A very gripping telling of a land where choice doesn’t exist.
7/10