A major World War II drama starring Cillian Murphy and Jamie Dornan is now available to stream – and it’s based on one of the most daring operations of the 20th century.
Released in 2016, Anthropoid tells the true story of Operation Anthropoid, the British-backed Czechoslovak mission to assassinate high-ranking Nazi officer Reinhard Heydrich during Germany’s occupation of Prague.
Directed by Sean Ellis, the film focuses on two real-life figures, Josef Gabčík and Jan Kubiš, played by Murphy and Dornan respectively. These resistance fighters parachuted into Czechoslovakia in December 1941 with orders to eliminate Heydrich – a central architect of the Holocaust and one of Hitler’s most trusted officials.
Set largely in Prague, Anthropoid blends historical fact with tense drama. Much of the story builds around the planning and execution of the operation, as well as the severe consequences that followed – including the complete destruction of the Czech village of Lidice and the deaths of over 5,000 civilians.
Although the film received a limited cinema release at the time, Anthropoid holds a 67% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 71% audience rating, with many viewers highlighting its historical accuracy and attention to detail.
One top-rated audience review notes: “There are so many unknown amazing stories from the war and I’m glad that the creators decided to shed light on this one. Amazing action and amazing drama; great movie.”
Another adds: “This movie was insanely ahead of its time, from the pacing, to the cinematography, to the acting, to the production value itself.”
In addition to Murphy and Dornan, Anthropoid features Toby Jones, Charlotte Le Bon, Anna Geislerová, Harry Lloyd, and Alena Mihulová. The production team worked closely with Czech historians and utilised actual locations wherever possible, including a crypt which remains a site of national remembrance.
While many war films focus on large-scale battles, Anthropoid centres on a targeted act of resistance that had lasting consequences.
The operation, once a lesser-known chapter outside Central Europe, has since been recognised as a pivotal moment in resistance history, and the men involved, including Gabčík and Kubiš, are now commemorated as national heroes in the Czech Republic.
Anthropoid in now available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.