If you are familiar with the real story of Bonhoeffer, you should probably leave your expectations at the door for Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin. Brought to us by Angel Studios, this uses the phrase “based on a true story” very loosely as there is a lot here that has been dramatized, changed and flat out made up to try and tell the story that they wanted to tell.
How to Download Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin.
Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin. was released on November 22, 2024. You can download or stream the film from Angel Studios *check out also their other titles such as Cabrini or Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot. Click on the Download button at the end of this review.
The Movie Review
Hey, more power to them, they had a story that they wanted to tell and they told it. However, I do wonder why they did not just make up their own story instead of changing so many things about this one. If you are a big-time history buff, there is probably a lot here that will drive you mad. I only knew a little of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, what I remembered learning at school so the historical inaccuracies did not hit me as hard as they have other people.
This is the story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He was born and grew up in Germany before moving to New York and finding love for a woman as well as jazz and the gospel. That is kind of simplifying his time in New York, but I felt that this part of the movie seemed to be very slow paced and it was there to help us try and connect with this version of Dietrich Bonhoeffer that they had created for this movie.
The Story of Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin.
Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin is not just all about his time in the States. Back in Germany, his family is very worried about the Nazis and the things they are doing to Germany, including the changes they are making to the Church. This is very unnerving for Bonhoeffer so he decides to make some drastic decisions.
This is a movie that just did not click me with at all. I think that they were going for a crisis of faith/consciousness with what he felt he had to do, but despite Jona Dassler being a good actor, I just did not find myself clicking with him or really caring all that much. That is a horrible thing to say about this subject I know, but this dramatized version of these events, never really gets going.
Acting and Visuals in Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin.
I can appreciate the acting, and I feel that everyone tried to do a good job, I also liked the aesthetic of the movie too, it had a kind of old-timey look about it that I thought was neat. However, this is a very, very slow movie, especially the start, it felt like it took forever to get going, and to be honest, I am not sure that it ever really did.
Final Verdict – Should You Watch Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin.?
If you are someone who loves the story of the real Bonhoeffer, you are probably best staying away from this one. Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin is not a horrible movie, it just takes what is a remarkable and interesting real story and makes it kind of boring. I will say that some people have said that Angel Studios hit you over the head with the faith thing a bit too much, but I never found that to be one of the things that bothered me here.
