As an amateur historian of WW2/Nazi Germany, I couldn't wait for this to come out on DVD. I missed it when it was first on in 2003. I don't want to repeat what's already been said in the previous 8 pages of comments about the historical inaccuracies. A better job could've been done portraying the "charming" Hitler. I also had a small problem with some of the casting choices, not so much for their acting, but for their appearances. Peter Stormare doesn't look much like Rohm, why didn't they make Babson as Hess wear a wig? And my biggest complaint..so much has always been made of Hitler's striking blue eyes, why didn't they make Carlyle wear blue contacts? On the plus side, I thought the actors who played Goring and Drexler looked pretty good. Again, as long as people watching this understand that this is supposed to be entertainment 1st, history 2nd I don't think a lot of harm will be done.

Hitler - Rise Of Evil has, despite its rather accurate historical scenery, one major problem which undermines this production. The problem is in the title already: "rise of evil". Okay, we all know the atrocities Hitler's reign committed, we all know racism, concentration camps, warmongering and alike. But despite this Adolf Hitler was just a man, he wasn't a demon or the embodiment of Ultimate Evil, the devil incarnate.

This movie's view of Hitler is exactly the same as before: Hitler is represented as a totally evil, larger-than-life archfiend. The traits of his personality are highly biased, and even historically inaccurate. Hitler wasn't a coward who begged for Iron Cross, he was in fact a maniacally fierce soldier.

And Hitler didn't scream maniacally or ogle his companions like a frog. His "political voice", the ranting, screaming and such, was just a show. Hitler's personal way of communicating was actually rather silent and contemplative. The only remaining recording of his civil voice was recorded (secretly) in Finland, when Hitler visited Finland's Marshal C.G.E. Mannerheim's 75-year birthday celebration, in an attempt to secure the support of Finland against Soviet Union. This recording was used as a basis, when Bruno Ganz prepared for his extraordinary role as Hitler in the German movie Der Üntergang (Downfall), which is by far the best representation of Hitler and Nazi commanders.

In Hitler - Rise Of Evil Hitler is a freaky inhuman monster. In mentioned Downfall (and in real life) he was twisted, but still a human being. This banality is what makes Hitler's action so horrible. It would be easier to think that he was one of a kind -monster, whose "Rise Of Evil" won't happen again. He was in real life much less dramatic and unique person than his representation by Carlyle.

That is what we should fear most even today: the rise of banal evil, and the oppression, racism and loathing of common life, of common people.