Max Manus

I'm not sure where to start but my anticipations for this film were sky-high, and boy were my prayers answered! I have difficulty seeing how the story of Norwegian resistance fighter Max Manus could be told in any other way. The friendship in the tight-knit group of saboteurs and resistance fighters in Nazi-occupied Oslo is portrayed with great warmth, comedy and boyish charm (most of these guys were basically just kids!), and the original and very special relationship between Max and his future wife Tikken is both credible and beautiful. Together with some intense action-scenes this all makes for a great WW2-film that takes you through every emotion.

Almost refreshingly it's told in a straightforward manner, none of those new fashionable gimmicks where a storyline is suddenly turned on its head just for cheap effect. The fact that this film is very close to reality - according to both Manus' widow Tikken and Gunnar Sønsteby, one of the legendary resistance fighters portrayed in the film - makes this even more fascinating.

An honest sweeping war drama deeply rooted in reality and history, that should interest any fan of WW2-stories, anywhere in the world.

And why watch fictional heroes like gladiator Maximus Decimus Meridius when you can enjoy real life ones like Maximo Guillermo Manus? :)

Awesome film based on a true story about a small but significant resistance group in Oslo Norway during WW2. and the most prolific member is Max Manus with his daring operations and back breaking escapes from the Nazi's. in terms of Norwegian films in general ,this film differs from the rest because of it's massive budget and interesting source material. the thing that really surprised me was the detail and skill of the cgi effects from making Oslo look like it did 60 years ago to various explosions and action sequences. foremost this film is for people familiar with the story's of Max Manus and his daring exploits. Aksel Hennie did a great job portraying Manus. i didn't like Hennie before but i do now. A must see for any Norwegian or war enthusiast.

It was a great movie. I was not bored for a second! Movies like this could very fast be ruined by to much focus on action, to much focus on drama or all to many characters. This movie handle all the parts very well. It's very good balanced movie. It goes on from 1940-1945 telling the story and feelings of Max Manus, who was a saboteur under the war. Good Norwegian action movies are rare, if you have some fearful memories of bad Norwegian movies, this will change your mind.

None Norwegians: I gave this movie 10, and that may be because I'm a Norwegian and feel this movie in a different way then you. But it's no less then a 8 if I should be harsh. This will most likely "pop" up in your rental store as a DVD with subtitles. If you not used to subtitles it can be hard I know, but it's worth it (And you will hear some German, English and wonderful Norwegian-English in the movie). It's a rental, heck, it's one to own!

In Norway, Max Manus was a hero. And, I am sure that because of this that "Max Manus: Man of War" was such as successful film. Norwegians flocked to it like lemmings. However, if you aren't from Norway, I doubt if the movie will bowl you over like it did these folks. Now I am NOT saying it's a bad film--Manus was an incredible guy and the film is exciting. However, the film isn't perfect and I only mildly recommend it. Why? Well, although there are lots of wonderful scenes, the film has two huge problems. One, and this is a personal one, it uses the cursed unsteady cam--featuring lots of shots that look they were shot by a cinematographer with the DTs. The film shook so much on many of the closeups I felt like I was becoming motion sick! Second, the film is VERY sketchy. Too often, the film jumps from one scene to the next--many, many months apart. And, because of this, some of the characters are woefully underdeveloped. There apparently was supposed to be some sort of budding romance between Manus and his contact with the British consulate--but you'd never really know it--it just happened very abruptly. The same was Definitely the case with the blonde lady--who was she, why was she featured in the film and why should we care?! By the way, although this is an exciting film, be forewarned that it's VERY bloody. If you don't want to see tons of blood and gruesomeness, try another film.

The film evolves around Max Manus as one of the central heroes of the young Norwegian resistance during the World War II. Together with Gunnar Kjakan Sønsteby, Gregers Gram and the other brave youngsters not willing to see the free Norway become a part of the German Nazi empire The Third Reich.

After the fun flick "Bandidas" no one expected Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg to be able to do such a correct and true told story of one the Norwegian resistance heroes. But they have managed to make a great film, without messing up in any way.

We get the feeling that the heroism was not just a one-sided thing. For every action the resistance made, more civilians had to die. Max Manus, brilliantly played by Aksel Hennie, was an adventurer, and very lucky to be one of the survivors, more than once thanks to the cold-minded Gunnar Kjakan Sønsteby, warning him about the reality of it all.

The film also shows the psychological effects on the adventurer, who got to be a heavy drinker during the war, and after. Being a hero is just a part of the whole story.

A strong part of this film is the human relations. The boyish ways and friendships. The love-story is beautifully made. One can really relate to the persons. That's good acting as well! Some find Fehmers girlfriend as unnecessary. I don't agree. This is to show that the Nazis had both charm and feelings too. This gives balance as well.

Some have been criticizing the Norwegian resistance for being young silly adventurers. Some of this might be a little bit true, but what they did, and what the sacrificed, is impressive. Most of us would not even think of trying, or dare, to do anything as to stop an invasion of a big and threatening force. Thank God for the likes of Max Manus. He never stopped believing that the Germans could be beaten, even though he was far down after losing his friends one by one in the battle for freedom.

A solid mark is given for true storytelling of brave young spirits, making Norway what the country is today.