The Man with the Iron Heart

This thriller about the plot to kill leading Nazi Reinhard Heydrich was released a year after 2016's Anthropoid, in which Cillian Murphy and Jamie Dornan played the Czech assassins, and follows previous dramatic reconstructions including Hitler's Madman (1943) and Operation Daybreak (1975). Director Cédric Jimenez's film is carved neatly into two halves - one dealing with the ascent of Heydrich (Jason Clarke), the other the operation itself. It's unusual to see such an infamous Nazi portrayed as a family man, but fine performances give it credence (particularly from Rosamund Pike as Heydrich's wife, Lina), while we are never left in doubt to the dark deeds of his military office. By comparison, the second part feels rushed, with the assassins (here played by Jack Reynor and Jack O'Connell) only given the briefest characterisation before they carry out their mission. Despite its flaws, this film at least takes the brave step of showing a well-documented episode from history from a different perspective.