Invasion Day

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...

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]"

This movie gives a very honest account of the situation in the morning hours of the 9th of April 1940. The Danish soldiers did their duty despite being in a hopeless situation abandoned by their generals and politicians.

It's a movie made by a Dane for the Danish audience and it captures the way Danish society and the Danish Army was at that time.

I loved it! It's a small piece of Danish history coming to life.

Just a note on some of the other reviews in here. Don't try putting Russian politics into this movie. There is no glorification of any Danish effort during the war here. And it is not looked upon as such in Denmark. Focus on good movies - not the old er new conflicts between East and West. This is not a propaganda movie in any way - maybe you seeing it that way tells more about your view on the world than on the essence of this small masterpiece of Danish filmmaking.

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.

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.