''Anthropoid'' is a 2016

war film War film is a film genre concerned with warfare, typically about naval, air, or land battles, with combat scenes central to the drama. It has been strongly associated with the 20th century. The fateful nature of battle scenes means that war fi ...

directed by

Sean Ellis Sean Ellis (born 1970) is a British film director, writer, producer and fashion photographer. He is best known for his films '' Cashback'' (2004), '' The Broken'' (2008), ''Metro Manila'' (2013), in the Tagalog language, and ''Anthropoid'' (2016 ...

and starring

Cillian Murphy Cillian Murphy (; born 25 May 1976) is an Irish actor. Originally the lead singer, guitarist, and lyricist of the rock band The Sons of Mr. Green Genes, he turned down a record deal in the late 1990s and began acting on stage and in short and ...

Jamie Dornan James Peter Maxwell Dornan (; born 1 May 1982) is an actor, model and musician from Northern Ireland. Formerly a character actor, he often portrays solemn, steady characters. The recipient of two Irish Film and Television Awards, he has been n ...

Charlotte Le Bon Charlotte Le Bon (born 4 September 1986) is a Canadian actress, artist, former model and television presenter. She is known for her work in the Canal+ talk show '' Le Grand Journal'', and the films '' Yves Saint Laurent'', ''The Hundred-Foot Jo ...

Anna Geislerová Anna Geislerová, also known as Aňa Geislerová (born 17 April 1976), is a Czech actress. She became well known for her double role of Eliška/Hana in movie '' Želary'' (2003) and as Anna in '' Návrat idiota'' (1999). A former model, Geisler ...

Harry Lloyd Harry Charles Salusbury Lloyd (born 17 November 1983) is an English actor. His performance in the Channel 4 miniseries '' The Fear'' (2012) earned him a British Academy Television Award nomination. He gained prominence through his roles as Will ...

, and

Toby Jones Tobias Edward Heslewood Jones''Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales, 1916–2005.''; at ancestry.com (born 7 September 1966) is an English actor. Jones made his film debut in Sally Potter's period drama ''Orlando'' in 1992. He ...

. It was written by Ellis and

Anthony Frewin Anthony Edward Frewin (born 1947 in Kentish Town, London) is a British writer and erstwhile personal assistant to film director Stanley Kubrick (from 1965 to 1968, and from 1979 to 1999). Frewin now represents the Stanley Kubrick Estate. His novel ...

. It tells the story of

Operation Anthropoid On 27 May 1942 in Prague, Reinhard Heydrichthe commander of the Reich Security Main Office (RSHA), acting governor of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, and a principal architect of the Holocaustwas attacked and wounded in an assassinatio ...

, the

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

assassination of

Reinhard Heydrich Reinhard Tristan Eugen Heydrich ( ; ; 7 March 1904 – 4 June 1942) was a high-ranking German SS and police official during the Nazi era and a principal architect of the Holocaust. He was chief of the Reich Security Main Office (inclu ...

by exiled Czechoslovak soldiers

Jozef Gabčík Jozef Gabčík (; 8 April 1912 – 18 June 1942) was a Slovak soldier in the Czechoslovak Army involved in the Operation Anthropoid, the assassination of acting ''Reichsprotektor'' (Imperial-Protector) of Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, ...

and

Jan Kubiš Jan Kubiš (24 June 1913 – 18 June 1942) was a Czech soldier, one of a team of Czechoslovak British-trained paratroopers sent to eliminate acting Reichsprotektor (Realm-Protector) of Bohemia and Moravia, SS-Obergruppenführer Reinhard Heydri ...

on 27 May 1942. It was released on 12 August 2016 in the United States and 9 September 2016 in the United Kingdom.

Plot

In December 1941, German occupation in Europe has neared its height. Two agents from the Czechoslovak exile government, a Slovak soldier, Jozef Gabčík (

) and a

Czech Czech may refer to: * Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe ** Czech language ** Czechs, the people of the area ** Czech culture ** Czech cuisine * One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus' Places *Czech, ...

, Jan Kubiš (

) are parachuted into their occupied country. Jozef is injured when he crashes through a tree upon landing, but both men set out to find their contact in the resistance movement. They are discovered shortly afterwards by fake resistance fighters who turn out to be traitors; one is shot by Jozef but the other man escapes. Stealing their truck, the agents head for

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...

. When they seek out their contact, they are directed to Dr. Eduard (

Sean Mahon Seán Mahon is an Irish stage and screen actor. He is known for playing Nicky Giblin in the Broadway production of '' The Seafarer'', Richard Hannay in the Broadway production of ''The 39 Steps'' and Michael Hess (the lost son) in the award-winni ...

), a veterinary surgeon who stitches Jozef's foot, and arranges for them to meet other resistance members, led by "Uncle" Jan Zelenka-Hajský (

). They are located in a concealed basement of the

Saints Cyril and Methodius Cathedral The Saints Cyril and Methodius Cathedral in Nové Město, Prague, the Czech Republic, is the principal Czech and Slovak Orthodox Church. History Early history According to oral tradition, the site where Saints Cyril and Methodius Cathedral st ...

in Prague. Gabčík and Kubiš reveal that they are to carry out "Operation Anthropoid," the assassination of

(

Detlef Bothe Detlef Bothe (born 9 December 1957) is an East German sprint canoer who competed in the mid-1970s. At the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by popula ...

), the main architect of the

Final Solution The Final Solution (german: die Endlösung, ) or the Final Solution to the Jewish Question (german: Endlösung der Judenfrage, ) was a Nazi plan for the genocide of individuals they defined as Jews during World War II. The "Final Solution to th ...

, and the ''

Reichsprotektor This is a list of rulers of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, which from 15 March 1939 until 5 May 1945 comprised the German- occupied parts of Czechoslovakia. It includes both the representatives of the recognized Czech authorities as w ...

'' of German–occupied Czechoslovakia. With limited sources of intelligence and equipment, Jozef and Jan must find a way to assassinate Heydrich, an operation which they hope will change the face of Europe. With the help of two young women, Marie Kovárníková (

) and Lenka Fafková (

) along with other plotters, the agents plan to ambush Heydrich as he arrives at his headquarters by car. When the agents learn that Heydrich is about to be transferred to France, the plan goes into effect straightaway with the duo bolstered by the addition of other agents who have been parachuted into Czechoslovakia and the remaining resistance fighters in Prague. On 27 May 1942 the assassination attempt is carried out; it nearly fails when Jozef's

Sten The STEN (or Sten gun) is a family of British submachine guns chambered in 9×19mm which were used extensively by British and Commonwealth forces throughout World War II and the Korean War. They had a simple design and very low production cost ...

submachine gun jams, but Heydrich is severely wounded by Jan's grenade, which shatters his limousine. Immediately afterward, both agents go on the run. In response, SS security forces round up thousands of Czech citizens and carry out reprisals, during which Lenka is killed trying to escape Nazi arrest. Heydrich soon dies from his injuries in the hospital. Reprisals continue with the village of Lidice destroyed, all the males over the age of 16 being shot, and the women and children sent to

concentration camps Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without charges or intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects". Thus, while it can simply ...

. The family with whom Jozef and Jan stayed is punished, their house being attacked by numerous

Gestapo The (), abbreviated Gestapo (; ), was the official secret police of Nazi Germany and in German-occupied Europe. The force was created by Hermann Göring in 1933 by combining the various political police agencies of Prussia into one organi ...

officers. The mother commits suicide by taking a

cyanide Cyanide is a naturally occurring, rapidly acting, toxic chemical that can exist in many different forms. In chemistry, a cyanide () is a chemical compound that contains a functional group. This group, known as the cyano group, consists of ...

pill. The son is brutally tortured and reveals Jozef and Jan's hiding place. Hundreds of troops storm the cathedral where all the agents, including Jozef and Jan are killed in a fierce six hour battle, along with many German soldiers. In 1947, Resistance fighter

Karel Čurda Karel Čurda (10 October 1911 in Stará Hlína, today part of Třeboň – 29 April 1947 in Prague) was a Czech Nazi collaborator during World War II. Wartime activities A soldier of the Czechoslovak army in exile, Čurda was parachuted into th ...

(Jiří Šimek) was convicted and executed for turning in his fellow resistance agents for the offered reward. Ultimately, a total of 5,000 Czechs and Slovaks were killed in the aftermath of the "Heydrich Terror". The assassination of Heydrich was the only successful Allied-organized assault on a top-ranking Nazi official in the Second World War.

Cast

as Marie Kovárníková *

as Lenka Fafková *

Adolf Opálka First Lieutenant Adolf Opálka (4 January 1915 – 18 June 1942) was a Czechoslovak soldier, member of the Czech sabotage group Out Distance, a World War II anti-Nazi resistance group, and a participant in Operation Anthropoid, the successful ...

as Uncle Hajský *

Alena Mihulová Alena Mihulová (born 4 May 1965) is a Czech film and television actress. She won Czech Lion for her role in ''Home Care''. She was married to film director Karel Kachyňa. Selected Filmography *'' Sestřičky'' (1983) *'' Smrt krásných srnc� ...

as Mrs. Moravec *

Marcin Dorociński Marcin Grzegorz Dorociński (born 22 June 1973) is a Polish film, television and stage actor. Early life Dorociński was born in Milanówek near Warsaw and grew up in a small village Kłudzienko. His father is a blacksmith and his mother is a h ...

as Ladislav Vaněk *

Bill Milner William Henry Milner (born 4 March 1995) is an English actor. He starred as Will Proudfoot in ''Son of Rambow'' (2007), Edward in ''Is Anybody There?'' (2008), and the young Erik Lensherr in '' X-Men: First Class'' (2011). Early life William ...

as Ata Moravec *

Sam Keeley Samuel Keeley is an Irish actor from County Offaly. His first major acting break was in the role of Philip in the RTÉ's hit television series ''Raw''. He later appeared in the films '' Burnt'', '' Monsters: Dark Continent'', '' The Siege of Ja ...

as Josef Bublík * Jiří Šimek as

* Mish Boyko as Jan Hrubý *

Václav Neužil Václav Neužil (born 4 October 1979) is a Czech actor. Neužil was awarded the Czech Lion Award for Best Actor in Leading Role and Czech Film Critics' Award for Best Actor for his role in 2021 film ''Zátopek''. Selected filmography Film ...

as Josef Valcik * Andrej Polák as Jaroslav Svarc *

as Dr. Eduard *

* Nicolai Borger as German Soldier at Barricade

Production

In March 2015, Jamie Dornan and Cillian Murphy were cast in ''Anthropoid'', with Sean Ellis directing a screenplay written by Ellis and

. In May 2015,

LD Entertainment LD Entertainment, LLC (formerly known as Liddell Entertainment) is an independent American film studio and sales company, founded in 2007 by Mickey Liddell, which finances, produces, acquires and distributes full-length theatrical motion picture ...

boarded the film, announcing the casting of

. The film was shot entirely in Prague during the summer of 2015, and where possible, at the actual locations of the events they depict. Director

stated in interview that scenes in the

Orthodox Cathedral of Saints Cyril and Methodius The Saints Cyril and Methodius Cathedral in New Town, Prague, Nové Město, Prague, the Czech Republic, is the principal Czech and Slovak Orthodox Church. History Early history According to oral tradition, the site where Saints Cyril and Method ...

were filmed on an exact replica of the church on a studio backlot, so as to make the location recognisable to Czech viewers.

and Czech contemporary reports allowed Ellis to recreate the film's final act (the assassination and church siege) with extreme accuracy, and intense planning was necessary to allow for the assassination itself to play in real time, with each resistance member's movements researched, planned and tracked in order to reflect actual events. The principal photography for ''Anthropoid'' includes backdrops such as

Prague Castle Prague Castle ( cs, Pražský hrad; ) is a castle complex in Prague 1 Municipality within Prague, Czech Republic, built in the 9th century. It is the official office of the President of the Czech Republic. The castle was a seat of power for kin ...

and the

Charles Bridge Charles Bridge ( cs, Karlův most ) is a medieval stone arch bridge that crosses the Vltava river in Prague, Czech Republic. Its construction started in 1357 under the auspices of King Charles IV, and finished in the early 15th century.; The ...

in Prague, the locations where Operation Anthropoid took place. At the premiere screening and later advance screenings, audience members noted that the authentic street scenes were featured in the film. Hoffman, Jordan (10 August 2016)
"Anthropoid review: a humdrum account of an extraordinary plot"
''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'' (London). Retrieved 10 August 2016.

Release

In July 2015, the first image of Dornan and Murphy was released. In May 2016,

Bleecker Street Bleecker Street is an east–west street in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is most famous today as a Greenwich Village nightclub district. The street connects a neighborhood today popular for music venues and comedy, but which was ...

acquired U.S distribution rights to the film. In June 2016, the first trailer was released. ''Anthropoid'' had its world premiere at the

Karlovy Vary International Film Festival The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival ( cs, Mezinárodní filmový festival Karlovy Vary) is a film festival held annually in July in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic. The Karlovy Vary Festival is one of the oldest in the world and has become ...

on 1 July 2016 as the opening night film. It was released in the United States on 12 August 2016.

Critical reception

On review aggregation website

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...

, ''Anthropoid'' has an approval rating of 66% based on 102 reviews, with an average rating of 6.39/10. On

Metacritic Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...

, the film has a weighted average score of 59 out of 100, based on 29 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". The film has garnered praise for its commitment to realism and true events. In his review for ''

'',

Peter Bradshaw Peter Bradshaw (born 19 June 1962) is a British writer and film critic. He has been chief film critic at ''The Guardian'' since 1999, and is a contributing editor at ''Esquire''. Early life and education Bradshaw was educated at Haberdashers ...

wrote, "An intelligent, tough, and gripping movie."''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

''s chief film critic Peter Debruge felt that "Jamie Dornan and Cillian Murphy spearhead a mission to assassinate a top-ranking Nazi officer in a thriller that doesn't actually get thrilling until after the deed is done." ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...

''s Christopher Kompanek gave the film four out of four stars, writing: ''Anthropoid'' never feels formulaic—a surprise in a summer release. (With luck, Academy Award voters won't forget this one.)"

Accolades

At the

Czech Lion Awards The Czech Lion Awards ( cs, Český lev) are annual awards that recognize accomplishments in filmmaking and television. It is the highest award of achievement in film awarded in the Czech Republic. The jury is composed of members of the Czech Fi ...

, ''Anthropoid'' received 12 nominations, out of 14 categories in which it was eligible (all except best actress and best supporting actress). The film lost all 12 nominations to ''

A Prominent Patient ''A Prominent Patient'' ( cs, Masaryk) is a 2016 Czech-Slovak biographical drama film directed by Julius Ševčík. It was screened in the Berlinale Special section at the 67th Berlin International Film Festival. It won twelve Czech Lions includi ...

''. ''Anthropoid'' won the non-statutory Czech Lion in the " Film Fans Award" category.

References

Noted

Bibliography

* Burgess, Alan. ''Seven Men at Daybreak''. New York: Bantam Books, 1983. . * Ramen, Fred. ''Reinhard Heydrich: Hangman of the Third Reich''. New York: Rosen Publishing Group, 2001. .

External links

* * {{Czech Lion Film Fans Award 2016 films 2010s historical films 2010s war films Films about Operation Anthropoid Films about assassinations Bleecker Street films Universal Pictures films Czech war films Czech historical films Czech Lion Awards winners (films) British historical films British war films World War II films based on actual events Films set in the Czech Republic Films set in Prague Films set in 1942 Films shot in the Czech Republic Films shot in Prague Films shot in Hungary Films shot in Budapest English-language French films Czech resistance to Nazi occupation in film English-language Czech films Czech World War II films British World War II films French World War II films Czech epic films 2010s English-language films 2010s British films 2010s French films Czech films based on actual events