Opération Anthropoid

After months of slogging through big-budget, special effects studio films that were just "fine" all summer, I've finally encountered a hidden gem that is well worth watching.

ANTHROPOID is a World War II film starring Cillian Murphy that tells the true tale of a group of Czech resistance fighters on a mission (Codenamed ANTHROPOID) to assassinate Nazi SS General Reinhard Heydrich, the "Butcher of Prague".

Director and writer Sean Ellis (The Proposal) really breaks through in this taught thriller that is part drama, part thriller and part action movie. Ellis creates a group of real people (the drama part of the film) with real relationships operating undercover in a very dangerous situation (the thriller part) in order to carry out orders to assassinate the #3 in command of the German hierarchy (the action part).

Some will find the first hour of the movie a bit slow as Ellis builds up his characters and their relationships. This turns out to be an important slow burn build-up and really pays off as the action starts heating up the screen and you are really invested in what happens to these people.

The acting is top-notch starting with Murphy, who I looked at in this movie and wondered why he isn't a bigger star. As Mission Leader Josef Gabcik, he is strongly focused on the mission only to find out the real human consequences of his actions along the way. He is ably assisted by Jamie Dornan (who proves there is a real actor underneath the 50 Shades of Gray) as his partner who needs to find the courage to go through with the mission and the always reliable Toby Jones as the head of the Czech underground. These 3 known (at least to me) stars are joined by strong European actors/actresses, most notably Marcin Dorocinski (as a reluctant Resistance fighter), Alena Mihulava (as the woman who hides the resistance fighters), and Harry Lloyd (the ranking Czech officer). Most impressive to me is the work of Czech actress Anna Geislerova (as another resistance fighter). I could not take my eyes off of her when she was on the screen, so had to look her up. She has over 100 credits, none of which is widely known to US audiences (mostly Czech films). I would love to see her do other things.

The acting is good, the script/drama is tight and the action (once it is started) is terrific, showing just enough that you know where everyone is in relation to the others, what they are doing and what peril they are in. Director Ellis avoids going "overboard" and the action is all the better for it. The big studios could learn a thing or two about "less is more" from this film.

I really enjoyed this one - it was a welcome break from the onslaught of special effects that has become the norm in the summer - and I STRONGLY recommend it to you.

A strong 8 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank (of Marquis)

Not familiar with Sean Ellis' work but his catalogue looks very original like Cashback, Metro Manila and the Broken; all films I now want to see. His latest, written and directed by himself, is the true story during WWII in 1942, Operation Anthropoid, the assassination of SS General Reinhard Heydrich, Hilter's third in command and main architect of the Final Solution, better know as the Butcher of Prague, or the Blonde Beast and the Hangman.

We follow Slovak soldier, Jozef Gabčík played brilliantly by Cillian Murphy and his partner, Czech soldier Jan Kubiš also played superbly by Jamie Dorman as they infiltrate Prague and proceed in setting up an action plan. We see the emotional struggle between the two comrades and fellow resistance, as priorities and understanding of what is to come, changes.

Toby Jones, who happens to get into everything recently, plays supportive uncle Hajskŷ and I recognise Charlotte Le Bon from this year's Bastille Day. And I think the only native to act here is Czech model Anna Geislerová who looks a little like Joan Allen and Amber Valletta. Both the ladies playing the agent's counterparts to enforce their cover who eventually form an emotional bond.

The film starts off fairly slow in the months of preparation, a lot of political conflicts within the resistance due to knowing what the ramifications are likely to be, should they succeed. But the second part it's incredible, fierce and intense. The action sequences are captured excellently, giving a great sense of horrid realism and doesn't let up until the conclusion. The action reminded me of Saving Private Ryan, and the epic church scene was like the last stand at the Alamo. The resistance holding their position for over six gruelling hours as the hordes of Nazis attempt to breach the hideout.

The only foreign tongue we hear is German but it's nice and good effort hearing all the cast speak with an accent. Some of the movie is actually filmed at the locations in Prague adding to the realism of the film. It shows the brutality of Nazi Germany, the oppression people were under and what terrible fate was upon those who did not conform. The score, or lack of, was really good. Robin Foster managed to add suspense and silence was best suited for some of the more dramatic scenes.

A classic war movie that's tense, tough and gory both physically and emotionally. A superb tribute to the Czech resistance and those that died during this time. Interestingly, Cédric Jimenez is currently directing HHhH, based on the very same story that's due out next year. I wonder how that will compare.

Running Time: 7 The Cast: 7 Performance: 9 Direction: 9 Story: 9 Script: 8 Creativity: 10 Soundtrack: 7 Job Description: 9 The ExtraBonus Points: 10 for being accurate to what stories have been told, paying a great tribute to those who were lost during this time.

85% 9/10

It was amazing how this true story has been told in each detail. This is a great work and respect to all the staff. All the actors delivered solid performance and I want to see them again all in other films. It was never boring and i know now better what really happened at this very important assault to a high Nazi leader. The setting and atmosphere were perfectly created. God bless all the opponents who lost their lives. Don't miss it if you like war history. 8/10

This film is based on the extraordinary true story of Operation Anthropoid, the WWII mission to assassinate SS General Reinhard Heydrich, the main architect behind the Final Solution and the Reich's third in command after Hitler and Himmler.

I have to admit my ignorance and say that I has no idea of this story . When we see films about WWII they tend to be about Americans and to a lesser extent the British . I had no idea what went on in Czechoslovakia - Now I do.

This is a well acted , informative movie that starts off as a slow burner then the longer the film goes on the more the tension gets ramped up . The two leads are an Irishman - Cillian Murphy and a Northern Irishman - Jamie Dornan and both work extremely well together . They are thoroughly convincing as Czech assassins.

The last half an hour is quite brutal . What the Germans did to the families that hid these men was horrific and Director Sean Ellis doesn't shy away from showing us in detail.

The one question I asked myself after watching this is - was it really worth killing Heydrich ? Sure he was an evil man but the consequences of his death were horrendous for the Czechoslovakian people .

The plot is based on the WWII operation to assassinate the Reich's third in command, Reinhard Heydrich. A group of Czechoslovakian soldiers chose to follow orders, a rather commendable action that the film throughly explores. Disregarding their own fates, they chose to do what they believed was the right decision made by government officials in London. They knew the power that Heydrich held in Czechoslovakia and was a valuable asset to the Nazi regime. The beauty of this film, is that I knew nothing about Operation Anthropoid. Having watched this I've taken several pieces of information away therefore proving to be a successful representation of the story. The cast were all pretty good, especially Jamie Dornan who conveyed that vulnerability really well. The legend though, and I use that word with great power, is Cillian Murphy. Possibly one of the most underrated actors working today, he was superb yet again. The more serious and level headed of the pair, he showed emotional conviction and a sense of authority. One thing I did notice was that the forced Czech accents were fading in certain scenes, I'm not the biggest fan of English actors putting on fake European accents. Sean Ellis was a solid director, the final act alone impressed me. Oh and the last five minutes...palpable. Some really beautiful cinematography and was able to capture the tension terrifically. The production design was also fitting, it felt like 1940's Prague and I couldn't tell if any green screen backdrops were used so it looked authentic to me. My biggest negative is the pacing. The first half is so slow and monotonous that I was convinced this was going to go no where. Second half? BOOM! Action, thrills, tension! Perfect for a big screen iteration. The third act is just relentless war...definitely captivating. I also wished the screenplay explored the consequences of the assassination attempt, there was just one scene. Overall though, a slow first half leads to a thrilling second half. Educational and exciting.