Sophie Scholl: The Final Days

In the past few years we’ve seen a different type of war film arise. The fighting and violence has been left in the dust and now these are stories about individuals growing from hardships and personal struggles. In some cases the war is merely a backdrop, like this year’s 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days. From what I gather Sophie Scholl: The Final Days was at the start of this welcomed trend. German director Marc Rothemund gives you a look at the inner workings of Nazi Germany from the perspective of a White Rose member, a group that is anti-war and anti-Hitler. It observers the denial strong supporters were beginning to have and a change of heart away from the socialist mindset developed by Adolf Hitler.

For once, the title really does say it all. Sophie Scholl, portrayed by Julia Jentsch, is a young White Rose activist who is living out her last days. Thankfully it doesn’t tread on the issue very long. She and her brother Hans (Fabian Hinrichs) decide to hand out leftover anti-war leaflets at a local university, ignoring the consequences they could face if caught. As you might expect they are arrested in the process and immediately begin their interrogation process.

It’s after they’re arrested that you really begin to learn about the type of people Sophie and her brother Hans are. After denying several times that she had any involvement, Sophie is confronted that her brother was forced to confess due to inexplicable evidence found in their home. She feels no regret and doesn’t mind showing it to the investigator, Robert Mohr (Alexander Held), or anyone else questioning her position. She very rarely, if ever, gets upset about her imprisonment and ultimately her death. Instead the only worry she displays is for her family and friends that could be harmed because of her actions.

The true life events that unfold are neither shocking nor unbelievable. We’ve all heard of the terrible war crimes committed by the Nazis during this time in countless history classes. The most surprising element is that there was a degree of lenience. The only difference is that their idea of mercy is a life sentence. If Sophie Scholl was looking to shock us with these true life events, it doesn’t quite work. But, if it was aiming to educate the viewer on the Nazi’s criminal system, then it works admirably.

The main problem with Sophie Scholl isn’t the story or acting, instead it has a terrible case of “made for tv movie” syndrome. The camera work is often uninspired and to be brutally honest, boring. A shame considering an obvious amount of work was put in to make this look like an authentic copy of 1943’s Germany. Luckily the story quickly moves into confined quarters where it’s hard to tell the difference between brilliant or mediocre photography.

Visually it could have been more appealing but it finds its faults partially overshadowed by Fred Breinersdorfer’s great screenplay. However, these imperfections harm it enough to prevent it from becoming as memorable as it could have been. The story is filled with excellent plot points, it’s just sad the imagery couldn’t help sustain the film’s polarizing look at spirituality and the criminal system.