Invasion Day

This is my first IMDb review. I thought i'd make an effort - because i think this movie deserves a lot more than the 6.8 score it got.

This is a small budget ,non-bombastic ,non-hollywood movie. YET , it managed to capture the eeriness and horror of the first day of WWII for Danmark in a very vivid and realistic way.

All the actors play very well. The photography is very precise and professional. And the events are based on true stories.

what's not to like ? I think its a must watch for true WWII enthusiasts- who'd like to get a new perspective on the northern European theatre of war.

I have to say that I'm very impressed with this movie. I had always assumed that the Danes were German sympathizers and did not put up an effective response to the German Invasion. This is definitely not so! Our little Bicycle platoon of Brave Danish Warriors, definitely gave the Huns a run for their money.

In the movie, the Machine gunners are instructed to target the armored vehicles. I really couldn't understand why until I read this...

"The German high command tried to present the attack on Denmark as a peaceful invasion in an attempt to score propaganda points, so German losses were never released. They succeeded in this, and most of the world believed Denmark did not put up any resistance against the invasion.[37]

However, in 2005, the archives of the Danish weapons manufacturer DISA ('Danish Industrial Syndicate') were opened. DISA produced the Danish 20 mm cannon that took out (relatively) many German vehicles. The Germans were naturally very interested in this weapon and had forced the syndicate to export them to Germany. And in selling them to the German army, they got their best argument from the Germans themselves: they told the company that 203 soldiers had been killed or wounded by the guns in Jutland.[38]"

The term "War movie" is almost synonymous with Second World War movies. Every nation has a story, down to the smallest individuals, and when there aren't stories, the big story gives great background for fiction. As a result we are doused with WW2 movies. There are good ones, bad ones, boring ones, outright ridiculous ones, and we've seen them all. It is next to impossible to make a really good WW2 movie anymore. Everything that can be told about this war has been told; maybe it can be told again with soldiers of different nationality, different locations, different weapons; but it's really, really difficult to say something that hasn't been told already.

This is why this little movie is marvelous. It actually tells a new story. It's not the meatgrinders of Stalingrad, Omaha Beach, not the death camps, not Dresden burning, not heroes against evil Nazis. It's about the silent, peaceful Denmark which has been overrun in a mere six hours and this was all of the war for them. But how did it happen?

Are a few dozen lives comparable to thousands or millions lost on other battlefronts? What is six hours of "war" to six years? It is easy to dismiss it as nothing, but that's what this movie about. Regardless the short time and negligible losses, it was still war, with young people killing and dying for their country and king. When their comrade fell, it was the same what a Russian, German, British or American soldier felt in a much bigger battle. It is not to be overlooked.

This movie shows us some images from Denmark's family album. Look, this happened to them in 1940. When someone shows you his family album and tells about someone who died in the war, you don't say "Oh, just one of you? Stop whining, our family lost three, so your loss is insignificant." The movie doesn't claim fame. It doesn't say Denmark's disaster was a very big one, or that it's comparable to other events of WW2. It just tells: this happened to us. This is our story. And yes, a kid selling milk actually died on the road that day.

Thank you for this movie, Denmark. We missed your story. Maybe the characters could've been a bit more lively. But again, they are soldiers - what to add to them?

I don't get the so-so reviews. We found this an excellent portrayal of what actually happened, not the excitement of a Pearl Harbor or D-Day Landing. The Danes were so outgunned. Fighting tanks on bicycles?!

Watch this a get a feel for what it meant to be a country that's just a stepping stone for Germany to gain Norway.

Clearly made on a tight budget but well-crafted and acted. If it gets boring, uh, guess what a day of war is like...

There are many things to like about this film but foremost among them for me is the insight into the experience of the invaded. Here in the U.S., we never faced any real threat of invasion during the second world war. In Europe, it was a sudden and brutal reality for numerous nations. This film captures the emotions of those charged with defending their homeland against the Nazi juggernaut; their bravery and fear in the face of futility. The cinematography, acting and direction are superb. It is difficult to comment on the script in a foreign film but I'll just say the translation and subtitles are well done. For militaria buffs, this is perhaps the best depiction I have seen of bolt action rifle warfare. Very close quarters. No semi-autos to be seen. I am stingy with my ratings but tempted to make this a nine star. This movie is well worth the time spent to watch it. Two thumbs up from me.