Bryan Singer, who brought us Superman Returns and two of the three X-Men films, seemingly steps outside of his super-hero comfort zone to direct Valkyrie, a suspenseful WWII thriller centered on one of the many failed plots to assassinate Adolph Hitler during his tyrannical reign of Germany. But upon closer examination, it’s not too difficult to see many superhero themes running throughout Valkyrie, including a lead character who, like many superheroes, is just an ordinary man moved to extraordinary actions.

What’s a bit more difficult to imagine is Tom Cruise in the superhero role. But as Col. Claus von Stauffenberg, a German officer whose job involves remaining stoically emotionless and apparently loyal in order to penetrate Hitler’s inner-circle, Cruise does just fine.  No “deep, soul-searching range” needed here. Hopefully, viewers will be able to look past the lingering negative buzz and Cruise’s sofa-bounding antics to give the film a chance. It actually works as intended. This movie is a taut, suspenseful WWII flick with a little “old school” feel and may one day be mentioned in the same breath as some of the great ‘70s war thrillers like Von Ryan’s Express, The Great Escape or Where Eagles Dare.

Injured while serving in North Africa, Stauffenberg eventually becomes disillusioned by Hitler’s ideals and leads the little-known German Resistance movement. He devises the cunning strategy of using Hitler’s own emergency plan -- Operation Valkyrie -- to stabilize the government in the event of his demise. The plan includes removing those in power and toppling Hitler’s regime. A stellar cast of A-lister’s joins Cruise in the group of defectors, including Bill Nighy, Terrance Stamp, Kenneth Branagh, Tom Wilkinson, and Eddie Izzard. David Bamper as Hitler brings chills, not so much due to his performance (he’s not on the screen more than a few minutes) but  because of his resemblance to the angry little Austrian.

Singer and screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie -- with whom Singer earlier paired on The Usual Suspects -- keep the pace steady, interesting and orderly despite the sometimes intricate and involved behind-the-scenes machinations of the coup attempt. We’re treated to some fairly nifty gadgets and dangerous scenarios, which would feel right at home in a Mission:Impossible film or even any episode of MacGyver. Even though we know the outcome, we still find ourselves caught up in the proceedings and can’t help running through numerous “what if” scenarios. Much of the film’s suspense and tension comes from what we’ve invested in the characters and our affection for knowing that what they are doing is right. Yet we’re also torn because we wonder how these men of principles could have joined forces with Hitler in the first place. They were certainly faced with an agonizing dilemma, and the filmmakers effectively bring us along and drag our own sensibilities through the mud. A few clever little nuances and poetic licenses top off the highly effective script, including some juicy ambiguities about exactly which members of Hitler’s inner-circle were involved -- if any -- and just how complicit they were? Some seemed eager to sit on the fence, ready to fall to either side depending on the dangerous plot’s outcome.

Singer’s attention to details pays off with a great sense of presence throughout Valkyrie. He uses various locations where many of the actual events occurred, including the historic Bendlerblock that hosts the film’s stirring final scenes. Singer’s interest in history and his exhaustive research -- including knowledge taken from The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich --  pay off in a huge way by lending the film a stylistic “period” feel. Blood red flags emblazoned with the swastika carry maximum impact and immerse us in the terrifying world of 1940s Germany.

(Released by United Artists and rated “PG-13” for violence and brief strong language.)

Review also posted at www.franksreelreviews.com