Hitler's Last Stand

They seem to have decent writing, access to world-class historians like David O'Keefe, and a budget for CGI. The reenactments, however, are horrifyingly bad. I feel for the extras who have been given not only the wrong types of uniform and equipment to work with, but absolutely no informed instructions on how to wear any of it convincingly. Firearms carries are abysmal and modelled after modern day police tactics rather than what soldiers were doing in the field in 1944. Many won't notice much of this, but for those in the know, the reenactments are unwatchable. And they deserve to have been the centrepiece.

The documentary series presents snippets of small unit action - battalion level - from the Western Front. The first two episodes I've watched covers the assault on "Abbaye D'Ardenne" by 1st Battalion Canadian Regina Rifle Regiment and the storm on "Fort Montbarey" by a battlegroup consisting of U.S. 121st Engineer Battalion, U.S. 1st Bn, 116th under Maj Tom Dallas and the "Crocodile" tanks of B Squadron, 141st Regiment of the Royal Armoured Corps. The former is a snippet of the "Battle for Caen" and the latter "Battle of Brest".

The concept is good: Take an interesting battalion level small unit action, which by the way in both cases turn out to be an assault on a fortified position, from a larger battle and tell the story. The cases are also well chosen.

However the overall quality of reenactment is hideous. One can bear the usual low budget effects and scaled down extras, a few soldiers representing the companies, but by god acting is unbearable. The one playing the Kurt Meyer is especially annoying. The equipment is not accurate. Crocodiles represented by Shermans, British Tankers wearing American suits etc. The story telling is usually good except lausy order of battles. How many of the Germans were on those fortified positions we do not told and I had to look up internet in order to figure out "Regina Rifles" is a battalion strength unit. If you're going to tell us small unit action you have to do it properly and give us necessary details.

Overall; good concept, bad execution.

What differentiates this series from similar series is the close up and personal look at the action, sometimes with minute-by-minute accounts. Names, dates, times, and everything else about the series gives you an up-close look as you rarely get. Don't expect great acting or outstanding special effects. They're not there. But footage of battles and locations and some rarely scene footage help make this series distinct. Well, worth watching, though it could be better if they had a bigger budget.

The angle is strange! The battles are described in a way that gives the impression that the Germans were winning and then suddenly the Germans lost in the few last minutes! The Germans are also depicted as some kind of supermen that lose for some strange reason! The allied are shown as clueless bunglers and whereas the Germans are show as supreme at planning and strategy!

Excellent camera angles and acting in this multi episode World War II Docu-Drama. Each episode covers a different part of real life stories and battles during the War.