25 years ago, the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer was filmed for the canvas for the first time. At that time, Ulrich Tukur embodied the German theologians, who turned to National Socialism as a resistance fighter during the Second World War. Now another film adaptation in the cinemas starts. The Biopic, which is simply title in this country, has been controversial since its theatrical release in the United States.
In this article we explain:
Resistance fighter: Who was Dietrich Bonhoeffer?
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was born on February 4, 1906 in Wroclaw. He studied theology in Tübingen and Berlin. He received his habilitation at the age of 24. In 1933 he spoke out publicly against youth persecution and became a Well -known representatives of the confessing churchwhich is an opposition movement of Protestant Christians against National Socialism.
The Nazis wanted to use the teachings of the Evangelical Church for their purposes. Bonhoeffer stood against it and made theological and political resistance. He was at least Two attempts to assassinate Adolf Hitler involved. Due to stressful documents, he was arrested by the Gestapo in 1943 and brought to the Flossenbürg concentration camp. There he was executed on April 19, 1945.
Who is behind the new Bonhoeffer film?
Bonhoeffer comes from director and screenwriter Todd Komarnicki, who previously worked on films such as Clint Eastwoods Sully and The Professor and the Madman, which are also based on true stories. Jonas Dassler, known from the golden glove, can be seen in the leading role. With August Diehl, Flula Borg and Moritz Bleibtreu, other German actors belong to the cast.
The independently produced film was bought after its completion in November 2023 by the American media company Angel Studios, which renamed the title of God’s Spy (Spy of God) in Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Spy, Assassin (Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Spy, Attentrator). The controversy begins here. Because Angel Studios is primarily known for evangelical evangelical films.
Why is the new Bonhoeffer film so controversial?
The central accusation against the new Bonhoeffer film is that the biography of the resistance fighter is used, To justify political violence. It has long been emerging in the USA that Bonhoeffer’s work is abused for propaganda purposes. In an open letter that was published in October, German and American theologians warn:
In the United States there is the dangerous resistance rhetoric, which refers to Dietrich Bonhoeffer, especially in circles that are committed to Christian nationalism. These groups use the symbols and the language of the Christian faith to gain power and control over others.
Specifically about the film it says:
The feature film Bonhoeffer comes in November: Pastor. Spy. Estential offenders in the American cinemas. He promises the ‘true, inexhausted story’ of a man, ‘preached love and at the same time planned the assassination attempt on a tyrant. In advertising, the Angel Studios keep making direct connection to the present: ‘The film raises the question: How far will you go to stand up for the right thing?’
The marketing of Angel Studios is particularly criticized. In the eyes of the theologians, it becomes consciously radicalizing tone chosen instead of concentrating on the values that have awarded Bonhoeffer’s work, such as justice and charity. The resistance to the Nazis is twisted to legitimize violence in the enforcement of the agenda of Christian nationalists.
Who distanced itself from the new Bonhoeffer film?
The instrumentalization of the Bonhoeffer film has meanwhile led to itself many participants distant from the project have. In a statement published on the International Bonhoeffer Society website, says the cast:
We, the acting of the film Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Attache, from Todd Kormanicki, are deeply concerned about the abuse of our film and the legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer by Christian nationalists. We read the open letter and the explanation of the Bonhoeffer experts and the descendants of the Bonhoeffer family and share their concerns and condemns every dangerous appropriation.
The letter was signed by leading actor Jonas Dassler and August Diehl, David Jonsson, Moritz Bleibtreu, Nadine Heidenreich, James Flynn, Lisa Hofer, Felix von Bredow, Patrick Moelleken. In addition, shortly before US start, an open letter from the descendants, which also distance themselves from the film:
With horror, we pursue how the legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer is increasingly falsified and abused by right -wing extremist anti -democrats, xenophobia and religious agitation. He was a peace -loving, freedomly minded philanthropist. He would never have seen himself near right -wing extremists, violent movements that are trying to take him today. On the contrary, he had criticized these attitudes. What do the reviews say about the new Bonhoeffer film?
At Bonhoeffer, is only the framing problematic with which Angel Studios brought the film to the cinema in the USA, or should the entire film be enjoyed with caution? The previous reviews are positive to warning.
In the Guardian, film critic Catherine Bray writes:
As a thriller, the film is not really exciting enough. And as a biopic, he is not necessarily representative of the man’s spirit. But the Film is solidly staged In a traditional, no -frills mode that will always find an audience – even if it is not particularly trendy.
Robert Abele wonders at Los Angeles Time:
So what is to be kept of a film that places Bonhoeffer in a room with attacks or asks British clergymen to smuggle explosives? On the one hand, it is a controversial story, which means that an already overstrained and ideologically very confident biography is unnecessarily spiced up with genre voltage. What is missing are the character nuanceswho speak of hard times under a split church and how this affected Bonhoeffer as a person and citizen, not only on the servant of God.
In his Variety discussion, Joe Leydon praises the cast:
Dassler portrays Bonhoeffer cleverly and with carefully calibrated level of zeal, sincerity, boldness and occasionally horror. He is supported by well -occupied secondary actors – Even the actors who have fleeing cameos as Churchill (Tim Hudson) and Hitler (Marc Bessant) go up in their roles without exaggerating the obvious.
Oliver Kube judges film starts on our sister side:
The real fate of Dietrich Bonhoeffer was immensely tragic. Its integrity in view of the opposition, which was built in front of him at the time-both on the part of the Nazi state and within the church-is unchanged and inspiring. This However, film does not even begin to do justice to the man or his words, his deeds or his legacy. Bonhoeffer burns his prominent cast with a weak staging, the brazen history distortion and a plumper sensational skin.
At Metacritic, Bonhoeffer currently has an average of 43 out of 100 points. Rotten Tomatoes lists the film with 66 percent positive reviews.
Bonhoeffer has been running since then March 13, 2025 in the German cinemas.