Movie Review: "Anthropoid" (2016)A hauntingly-surprising World-War-II action thriller with historical sophistication directed by Sean Ellis, who also stops denying to operate a fast-rhythmic-passing Super 16mm film camera by Arri Munich Rentals accompanied with superb-looking Hawk V-lite 16 lenses, when editor Richard Mettler puts an engaging cast surrounding freedom fighters Jan Kubis and Josef Gabcik, here match-making from the very first parachute-descends into push-play atmospheric snowy forest actor Jamie Dornan, known for "Fifty Shades of Grey" performing to utmost anxiety-denying beats of war action, when spy agent partner Cillian Murphy, acknowledged for leading Danny Boyle's horror-thriller "28 Days Later" to international successes, as "Anthropoid" continues with a relentless assassination plot in ultra-focused on trafficking Prague daytime streets action scenes to rebounds with fantastic range-playing actor Toby Jones as needed suspense-adding support into a fully-immersive final rebel-stand-off from bullet-storming hallways of city's center church to floated basement confronting inevitable conclusions of Officer-avenging Nazi-oppressors that puts the 20 minute showdown into the major league of being able to compete with any Hollywood comparable. © 2018 Felix Alexander Dausend (Cinemajesty Entertainments LLC)

Just to be on the safe side I mention that there are spoilers ahead. Although it doesn't take a rocket scientist or an expert researcher to 'find out' how Anthropoid ends, I'm just doing what I figure is best.Americans don't play the heroes and there is no 'Hollywood' ending (ok, end of spoiler alert).Anytime a Nazi gets killed is a good thing (fiction or IRL). Sure, we've seen similar stories in the past (ok, well a lot), and it's almost like there are limitless tales about assassinations or attempted assassinations of top Nazi personnel. But, what I like most about this story is the determination of its protagonists to accomplish their mission – not that they differ from anyone else, but the passion displayed by Cillian Murphy's Josef Gabcik is very inspiring. I am really empathetic to their struggle (and I have Austrian blood in me!) and I feel like I need to help in some way. Like any great soldier these patriots are willing to be killed for the better of humanity and/or their country.I also like that there is no American involvement seen anywhere. There is, however, very little mention of British involvement. The 'real' story is that Operation Anthropoid's operative's, although both Czech and Slovak, were trained by the British. Also, the Czechoslovakian government needed permission from the Brits before carrying out the plan (the Czech government was in exile in London at the time). When I think of Czechoslovakia I certainly don't think of James Bond or Jason Bourne type of planning and 'execution' for the better of the world. I mean really, Czechoslovakia? The home of Pilsner, small cars and a funny language carrying out an assassination of the 3rd most powerful man in the Reich?! WTF. Yes! It works, and quite well.Like the actual story, there are some blunders in the movie, too, but for the most part very enjoyable…in part because there is no 'Hollywood' in it.

I feel that this film doesn't do justice to the story of Anthropoid. If you're going to tackle something like this with a reasonable budget, you surely have a responsibility to do it well. My fear is that the generation of people being introduced to the story via this film (which they will do as its stars '50 Shades' Dornan, and Nolan- regular Cillian Murphy) won't understand any of the true depth or complexities of what happened. Great that they get to know about it at all, but it'll often be a case of "hmm, what next, Stranger Things?" rather than looking further or realising how much more there was to it. It completely fails to set the context of what was going on in Prague at the time, the atmosphere of oppression with Heydrich's initiatives and the regular executions. Unforgivably, it fails to give any detail or context whatsoever to Heydrich, who this person was, why the Czechs feared him, or how he was instrumental in vast atrocities including the 'final solution'. Having had more context would have framed the story better in terms of how terrifying and important this mission really was. The actors weren't well directed at all - carrying the implication of foreboding via constant frowns and moodiness, whereas in reality the two (Gabcik especially) were more light-hearted and energetic. The director again fakes (unnecessary) tension by making Kubis trembling and panic-stricken - he didn't and wasn't. It doesn't mention how they landed far away from the intended landing point - and how they had to back track all the way to Pilsen to meet their contacts before getting into Prague (a huge inconvenience being that they landed quite near Prague). The HUGE story of what happened to Lidice and other reprisals is glossed over with a few lines of dialogue. Hitler's reaction to Heydrich's assassination, the strict curfew, mass arrests, executions, hundreds of thousands of house searches - so many moments of pure terror and fear that are just missed entirely. Cinematically the story is rich with such moments for raw emotional impact, so its a travesty that the first half of the film is pretty dull, choosing to focus instead on the romance element - in cheesy crowd-pandering fashion. It also looks like a TV movie at best. The ending is appalling - rather than let the situation speak for itself, the director chooses to ram it down your throat with a muted soundtrack, cheesy piano score, and suggesting that Gabcik was fantasising about his dead girlfriend (she didn't die before Gabcik at all). With HHhH (The Man With The Iron Heart) also completely messing this story up, its a shame that there are probably no opportunities left now without it seeming like overkill. The original Czech film Atentat is still the best and most atmospheric version.

During World War 2 , in 1942 Czechoslovakia , SS-General Reinhard Heydrich is appointed by Hitler to become the Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia , he is known as "The Butcher of Prague". As a squad of Czech expatriates formed by self-exiled Czech and Slovak soldiers (played by Cillian Murphy and Jamie Dornan) are parachuted into Czechoslovakia in order to assassinate the German governor Reinhard Heydrich , the main architect behind the Final Solution and the Reich's third in command after Hitler and Himmler . The group is assigned a dangerous mission called Operation Anthropoid , to execute a top-secret assignment that would change the face of Europe forever . It was hatched by the Allies after having been prepared by the British Special Operations Executive to eliminate a high-ranking Nazi (it is believed that Admiral Canaris passed crucial information to Allies for organizing the attack) . In Prague , the group is helped by partisans (Charlotte Le Bon , Sean Mahon , Toby Jones) . On 27 May 1942 , Heydrich proceeded on his daily commute from his home to Prague Castle. Gabčík and Kubiš waited at the tram stop at a tight curve . The spot was chosen because the curve would force the car to slow down . As Heydrich's open-topped Mercedes-Benz reached the curve , Gabčík stepped in front of the vehicle, trying to open fire, but his Sten gun jammed . Heydrich ordered his driver , SS-Oberscharführer Klein , to stop the car. When Heydrich stood up to try to shoot Gabčík , Kubiš threw a modified anti-tank grenade at the vehicle , and its fragments ripped through the car's right-rear fender , embedding shrapnel and fibres from the upholstery into Heydrich's body , even though the grenade failed to enter the car . The assailants initially hid with two Prague families and later took refuge in an Orthodox church dedicated to Saints Cyril and Methodius in Prague . The Germans were unable to locate the attackers until Karel Čurda of the "Out Distance" sabotage group was arrested by the Gestapo and gave the names of the team's local contacts for a bounty . The assassination of Heydrich was one of the most significant moments in the history of the resistance in Czechoslovakia and is considered to be the strongest act of defiance throughout occupied Europe . The act had such an impact that it led to the immediate dissolution of the Munich Agreement as signed by Great Britain and France , as well as Germany's ally Italy . Britain and France agreed that after the Nazis were defeated the annexed territory (Sudetenland) would be restored to Czechoslovakia. As Heydrich was one of the most important Nazi leaders , two large funeral ceremonies were conducted. The first one was in Prague , where the way to Prague Castle was lined by thousands of SS men with torches . The second was in Berlin attended by all leading Nazi figures , including Hitler, who placed the German Order and Blood Order medals on the funeral pillow . The betrayer Karel Čurda, after attempting suicide, was hanged in 1947 for high treason .Film based on the true story of the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich in Prague . It explores the preparations , execution , and aftermath of this operation and the bloody revenge on the Lidice village . Operation Anthropoid shows the operation leading up to Heydrich's death as well as the massive German reprisals that followed it . One of the best things about this interesting film results to be its excellent recreation , shot in Prague with authentic scenarios , we have the full details of the events , the arrival of the command , the plan of attack , the realization of it , the Nazis retaliated with physical elimination of Lidice , and as they surrounded the Church of St. Cyril by the treachery of one of the components of the command . It was played by an magnificent plethora of actors , such as : Jamie Dornan as Jan Kubis , Cillian Murphy as Josef Gabcík , and Charlotte Le Bon , Brian Caspe and Jirí Simek as traitor Karel Curda . Furthermore , a functional and atmospheric cinematography by Sean Ellis himself . And an emotive as well as thrilling Original Music Score by Robin Foster . The motion picture was professionally directed by Sean Ellis . He is a craftsman and expert on all kind of genres . Sean Ellis was born in 1970 in Brighton , Sussex , England . He is a writer and director , especially known for Cashback (2006) , Metro Manila (2013) and Operación Anthropoid (2016).It is based on on a true story that also was adapted by Fritz Lang , in 1943 ¨Hangmen Also Die¨ , ¨Hitler's Madman¨ (1943) and ¨Atentat¨ (1964) and in 2016 and 2017, two versions of the Heydrich assassination were released , ¨Operación Anthropoid¨ (2016) and ¨The man with the iron heart¨ (2017) by Cedric Jiménez with Rosamund Pike , Mia Wasikowska, Jack O'Connell, Jack Reynor , and Jason Clarke as Reinhard Heydrich and Stephen Graham as Himmler .