10 Massively Underrated War Movie Performances
9. Cillian Murphy As Jozef Gabčík - Anthropoid
A taut thriller concerning the true story of the eponymous WWII operation, 2016's "Anthropoid" depicts the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich - a key figure in the Holocaust - at the hands of the Czech resistance.
Highlighting the brutality of the Nazi reprisals that followed, Sean Ellis' picture is led by a pair of established Irish character actors in Jamie Dornan and Cillian Murphy. While Dornan is impressive in his turn as Jan Kubiš, it is the star of Oppenheimer and Peaky Blinders who blows the doors off in this darkly engrossing endeavour.
Taking on the role of Slovak soldier Jozef Gabčík, Murphy brings his charge to life in stunning fashion. Possessing a gaze capable of conveying a thousand emotions at once, the Irishman is one of his generation's most talented performers and he levies all of his gifts in Anthropoid.
In particular, the visual of Murphy before he commits suicide in the film's climactic sequence to avoid capture is indescribably haunting. It's a moment that leaves behind a stunned silence, exemplifying the strengths of Murphy's performance.