Munich: The Edge of War is a 2021 spy thriller drama film about a British diplomat who travels to Munich in the run-up to World War II, where a former classmate of his from Oxford is also en route but is working for the German government.
Directed by Christian Schwochow (Je Suis Karl; The German Lesson; Novemberkind; Cracks in the Shell) from a screenplay written by Ben Power (The Lehman Trilogy; The Hollow Crown series), based on Robert Harris’ novel Munich.
The British Turbine Studios-Netflix movie stars Jeremy Irons, Jessica Brown Findlay, Jannis Niewöhner, George MacKay, Sandra Hüller, Martin Wuttke, Alex Jennings, August Diehl and Robert Bathurst.
Plot:
In the autumn of 1938, British civil servant Hugh Legat (George MacKay) accompanies Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain (Jeremy Irons) to Munich in a desperate bid to broker peace with German leader Adolf Hitler.
Once there, Legat encounters his old friend Paul von Hartmann (Jannis Niewöhner), a German diplomat who has in his possession a document signalling Hitler’s true intent: a war of conquest across Europe. Amid frantic negotiations at the Munich Conference, Hugh and Paul conspire to prevent a terrifying conflict…
Reviews:
“Munich: The Edge of War is a riveting very well put together film that is true to its source material. It may perhaps fly under the awards radar but is worthy perhaps of some recognition and in another year Irons would be in the mix. The lead performances are terrific and the period detail is faultless. Audiences will likely be gripped for its two-hour runtime and perhaps surprised by the story.” Flickering Myth
“Overall, the latest war film does not require bullets or bloodshed to convey the evils of fascism. ‘What if there was hope someplace to change the course of events?’ it makes you wonder […] Yes or no is the answer. Initially, the film is a little slow. But after 30 minutes, you won’t be able to take your focus away from the screen.” Leisure Byte
” …the stumbling block of many a “What if” story from World War II is easily evident in The Edge of War. For all the talk of the inevitable worst case scenario, the stakes feel awfully low […] The film still manages to be a beautifully-detailed recreation of a well-worn piece of history, most thought-provoking in its novel approach to the motivations and intent of those involved.” Movie Nation
“Munich: The Edge of War is a solid political thriller, not particularly exciting or groundbreaking but delivering a competent and engaging cinematic experience, supported by a talented cast. It’s not the most gripping of experiences but achieves what it aims to intelligently and with style.” The Upcoming
Release:
Released theatrically in select locations on December 31st 2021 and available on Netflix on January 21st 2022.
Cast and characters:
Jeremy Irons … Neville Chamberlain
Jessica Brown Findlay … Pamela Legat
George MacKay … Hugh Legat
Jannis Niewöhner … Paul von Hartman
Robert Bathurst … Sir Nevile Henderson
August Diehl … Franz Sauer
Alex Jennings … Sir Horace Wilson
Anjli Mohindra … Joan
Sandra Hüller … Helen Winter
Mark Lewis Jones … Sir Osmund Cleverly
Liv Lisa Fries … Lenya
Ulrich Matthes … Adolf Hitler
Nicholas Shaw … James Berwick
Tina Louise Owens … Onlooker/passerby
Genevieve Florence … Woman in Crowd
Ross Donnelly … SS Officer
Filming locations:
Cunard Building, Liverpool, England
Munich, Germany
Technical details:
123 minutes
Alternate title:
München: Im Angesicht des Krieges
Trailer:
