Review: Six Minutes to Midnight

In 1939 families in Nazi Germany sent their daughters to a Britain finishing school. Ran by Miss Rocholl (Dame Judi Dench) and her ex-pupil Ilse (Carla Juri), the school harboring twenty daughters of high-ranking German Nazi officials sparked the interest of British intelligence.

Just seventeen days before the brink of World War II, the school’s English teacher disappears. Six days later, Thomas Miller (Eddie Izzard) takes his place. As tensions rise and Hitler’s grip tightens around the world, Miller finds himself wondering who he can trust. 

I’m a fan of spy thrillers, especially ones based on historical events. Tales of espionage are entertaining and will keep you on the edge of your seat. Unfortunately, Six Minutes to Midnight wasn’t as thrilling as it set out to be. 

The story itself is interesting, and the film is based on true events. That being said, the script was bumpy, and I found myself not caring about any of the characters introduced. 

With solid leads such as Dame Judi Dench and Eddie Izzard, you would think this film would be a home run, but their characters lacked motivation and depth. (And if Judi Dench can’t bring life to a character, then something is wrong). 

The film itself looked terrific. The cinematography was gorgeous, and there were a lot of interesting camera movements. I felt like I was watching something from that time period play out, but there weren’t any memorable moments. 

Usually, there is some finesse in a spy film, especially when it comes to a main character. Eddie Izzard is the king of cool, but his character was a stumbling mess. Even if the filmmakers were going for historical accuracy, there could have been something added to make the audience root for him, but there just wasn’t; and it resulted in the film falling flat. 

The story is interesting, but there’s no thrill in this thriller. If you’re looking for an intense spy film with all the bells and whistles, this one isn’t it. There were a few good twists, but not enough to keep you on your toes.