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Valkyrie

Valkyrie

Many saw evil. They dared to stop it.

2008121 minPG-13Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films
Director
Bryan Singer
Starring
Tom Cruise, Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, Terence Stamp

Wounded in Africa during World War II, Nazi Col. Claus von Stauffenberg returns to his native Germany and joins the Resistance in a daring plan to create a shadow government and assassinate Adolf Hitler. When events unfold so that he becomes a central player, he finds himself tasked with both leading the coup and personally killing the Führer.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Valkyrie?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Valkyrie streaming on Prime Video and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about Valkyrie?

Valkyrie earns 8 badges, led by Star-studded and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Reception
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Valkyrie worth watching?

Valkyrie's Midcredits score is the 83rd percentile of all films, from 424K ratings across 6 sources. 77% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

83rd percentile

Better received than 83% of films

85th percentile among Drama81st percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)76th
Approval (how many liked it)87th

69 /100

76th percentile of all films

79th percentile among Drama76th percentile among 2000s

Critics 56 · Audience 70

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A tight consensus around 7.2 — people broadly agree on this one.

77% liked it

87th percentile of all films

89th percentile among Drama86th percentile among 2000s
77% rated it 7–1023% rated it 1–6

Critics 62% · Audience 65%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 2 wins / 11 noms overall

98th percentile

424K ratings across platforms

99th percentile among Drama97th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 9% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$75M
Opening weekend$21M
Domestic gross$83M
Worldwide gross$202M

Returned 2.7× its budget — 98th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is a competent, well-crafted Hollywood thriller that prioritizes plot mechanics over character depth.

Fans praised

  • taut, gripping thriller despite the known historical outcome
  • strong performances from the ensemble British cast
  • respectful, suspenseful treatment of important history

Detractors panned

  • Tom Cruise miscast – lacks German accent and aristocratic bearing
  • historically simplistic – whitewashes conspirators' motives
  • dull, talky, fails to generate real tension or emotional depth

What stands out

CinematographyDivisive75

authentic period look, handsome production design

ActingDivisive70

ensemble British cast praised, Cruise performance divisive

Plot and storyDivisive65

complex true-story mechanics effectively condensed

TensionDivisive65

gripping set-piece suspense despite known outcome

PacingDivisive60

slow first half, gripping second half

DialogueDivisive55

functional, informative but rarely memorable

Emotional impactDivisive50

final execution scene affects some; many left cold

CharactersDivisive40

underdeveloped – motives and emotional depth lacking

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 16 points higher than women.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 12 points higher than users.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 11 points higher than US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is Valkyrie like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense and leaves you bittersweet. Skip it when you want an easy night.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseCatharticMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its historical material straight with a solemn and tense earnestness, never undercutting the gravity of the subject.
The rideThe film maintains a tense, gripping atmosphere throughout, but the emotional weight and dramatic climax come in the final act with the failed assassination and the execution of the conspirators.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically, following the conspiracy from formation to execution and aftermath.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe film honors the conspirators' sacrifice while acknowledging the tragedy of their failure, leaving a mix of admiration and somber reflection.
How it ends · evidence
Tragic endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% (this title) · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Oppressive state: A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeA group of German officers conspire to assassinate Hitler and overthrow the Nazi regime, requiring one of them to infiltrate the Führer's inner circle to plant a bomb.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfSacrificeMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% · Duty 2% (this title) · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% (this title) · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% (this title) · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Sacrifice · 4% of filmsDuty · 2% of filmsRedemption · 6% of films: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Single lead
How it treats its themeA group of German officers grapple with their duty to stop Hitler, sacrificing their lives in a failed attempt to redeem their country.
StanceThe film portrays the conspirators as heroic and their actions as morally justified, celebrating their sacrifice in opposition to tyranny.

The world

Mid 20th centuryInstitutionalUrbanRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · John Ottman
SettingNazi Germany during World War II, primarily military headquarters and the Wolf's Lair
MusicThe score is sweeping and dramatic, underscoring the tension and gravity of the historical events.

Content guide

Is Valkyrie okay for kids?

PG-13

Valkyrie is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for violence and brief strong language” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (60/100), sexual content at minimal (14/100), language at moderate (46/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (35/100) and frightening material at intense (63/100). Overall it is heavier than 72% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 25 other countries
  • UK12A
  • Canada14A
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • FranceU
  • Ireland12A
  • JapanG
  • South Korea12
  • Brazil14
  • Austria12
  • Czechia12+
  • Denmark11
  • FinlandK-13
  • GreecePG
  • Hungary16
  • ItalyT
  • LTN-13
  • Netherlands12
  • Poland16
  • PortugalM/12
  • SK15
  • Spain12
  • Sweden11
  • Taiwan保護級
  • TCT
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 44% of all filmsHeavier than 72% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 71%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 19%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 61%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 64%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 80%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what PG-13-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Valkyrie have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Valkyrie?

Cast

4 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Tom Cruise
as Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Kenneth Branagh
as Major-General Henning von Tresckow
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Bill Nighy
as General Friedrich Olbricht
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Terence Stamp
as General Ludwig Beck
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Tom Wilkinson
as General Friedrich Fromm
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Carice van Houten
as Nina von Stauffenberg
Kenneth Cranham
as Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel
Thomas Kretschmann
as Major Otto Ernst Remer
Eddie Izzard
as General Erich Fellgiebel
Kevin McNally
as Dr. Carl Goerdeler

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Valkyrie?

Movies like Valkyrie include Five Graves to Cairo (1943), A Hidden Life (2019) and The Day of the Jackal (1973). Of the 12 closest matches, most are military films, and several are political thrillers.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

6 of these 12 share its world: World War II. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Valkyrie?

1.1K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: political thriller. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.