Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin (Christian Movie Review)
Bonhoeffer is a triumph, a beautifully composed, timely story that will challenge and inspire viewers in equal measure.
About the Film
Not many historical figures could have both “pastor” and “assassin” in the title of their biopic. Dietrich Bonhoeffer is a fascinating character who seems ripe for cinematic portrayal, and Angel Studios proves to be a perfect home for his story. Bonhoeffer is a triumph, a beautifully composed, timely film that will challenge and inspire viewers in equal measure.
Bonhoeffer’s storytelling approach is comparable to Christopher Nolan’s Academy Award-winning film Oppenheimer (2023). Both dialogue-driven WWII dramas offer compelling character studies of men who are wrestling with their moral responsibility to act in the face of challenging cultural circumstances. Like Oppenheimer, Bonhoeffer balances two timelines by using flashbacks of Bonhoeffer’s early life to paint an effective portrait of how his courageous faith was forged. The film serves as a timely exploration of faith and courage (see my interview with producer John Scanlon for more on the intent of the film and its relevance for today’s audiences).
Viewers may be justified in assuming “assassin” would be the descriptor given the most attention. The famed assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler is depicted, but Bonhoeffer focuses primarily on the title character’s identity as a “pastor.” The external threat of Nazism in Germany is an ever-present backdrop to the narrative, and the film does a masterful job of showing how the nation (and church) became entrapped by that evil ideology. The film’s most compelling narrative tension arises from Bonhoeffer’s internal conflict as he wrestles with how to respond to difficult cultural circumstances.
Films that heavily rely on dialogue often devolve into an endless slog of weighty conversations. There may be a few moments when audiences would like the story to pick up the pace (and the alternating timelines occasionally stall momentum), but Bonhoeffer remains captivating by keeping the conflict firmly rooted in Bonhoeffer as a character. The theological debates have real-world consequences for Bonhoeffer.
Actor Jonas Dassler does a commendable job in the lead role. He is charming and heroic, but he also showcases enough vulnerability to prevent the film from becoming a hagiography. The movie deals with some morally complex issues, but the filmmakers are willing to leave many of those questions open ended. They tell the story from the perspective of a man who is rooted in the uncertain middle rather than from the vantage point of storytellers living decades later.
Despite the emphasis on dialogue, the film does not neglect visuals. In fact, the film is a visual splendor. The cinematography was done by John Mathieson (Gladiator, Logan), and the level of technical excellence elevates the movie beyond many mainstream Hollywood films and certainly far above the quality of most faith-based films. Filmed on location in Belgium and Ireland, the film’s beauty feels picturesque and cinematic, but also tactile and authentic.
The template for this type of faith-inspired film is not a novelty, but the film’s quality pushes the genre to greater heights. Bonhoeffer offers an excellent cinematic experience, not merely a sermon. But it still has a lot of value to say. Bonhoeffer may have been a man of his time, but his legacy of faith put into action remains relevant. Overall, Bonhoeffer is not just a movie about a great Christian man; it is a powerful story about what it takes to become such a man.
For Consideration
Language: There are several profanities (“h—”, “d—”, b—h”), as well as some racial slurs and pejorative language.
Violence: Skulls and bones are visible among the ruins of war, and a man is hanged (the screen cuts before depicting the act).
Sexuality: None.
Other: Characters smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol.
Engage The Film
Faith and Action
Scripture claims, “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:17). The interplay between those two elements of Christianity—faith and works—is the essence of Bonhoeffer’s spiritual journey. The film depicts his formative experience as a young seminary student living in Harlem, where he discovers a deep, authentic spirituality within the black church (“I want that.”). When he returns to Germany, he finds a church that has lost its way. It is consumed by unbiblical ideologies and reveres Adolf Hitler rather than God: “The church has become religion without Christ. But what we need is Christ without religion.” In a pivotal sermon, Bonhoeffer proclaims, “There has never been anyone in history who hated religion more than Jesus Christ. He never wanted our religion. All he ever wanted was us. Our full selves.”
The movie shows the danger of allowing “the world” into the church and demonstrates why Christians must speak boldly, even when doing so is unpopular and costly. In our present cultural moment, Bonhoeffer serves as a cautionary tale. A church that trusts in man more than in Jesus Christ lacks power.
On the other hand, Bonhoeffer ultimately becomes politically active (as both “spy” and “assassin”) and is compelled to act against the evil of his day: “I can’t keep pretending that praying and teaching is enough.” He sums up his conviction, “Our silence in the face of evil is itself evil. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.” Faith that does not compel action is empty.
Bonhoeffer is a complicated figure, and the film doesn’t iron out every moral wrinkle. Was he right to abandon his passivist convictions? The movie doesn’t provide answers. It showcases an imperfect man who struggles with those questions. As a result, the film should inspire Christian viewers to consider what active faith looks like in their own life.
