The story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer is important to tell but it needed to be told in a better format than the one provided through the feature film “Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin.” A plodding script, dullish leading actor and an approach to cinematography that is depressingly dark leave this film far short of its high potential. Bonhoeffer’s fight against the Nazis and his own church for doing nothing in the face of the rise of Adolf Hitler has been well documented in theological circles because of his own extensive and influential writings. When he became aware of a plot to assassinate Hitler, Bonhoeffer had to make the decision between keeping his faith or changing history. That should have been enough to carry this film, but writer/director Todd Komarnicki never found either the spiritual center or the action elements to make the movie work. His design is muddled especially by the decision to bounce back and forth through time. All the juxtaposition results in the film having a running time of 135 minutes. That’s far too long for a story where tension is so vital to telling the tale. The only time the movie has any real energy are the bloated jazz performances when Bonhoeffer escapes to the United States. Dramatic cuts should have been made to focus on the assassination plot and the threats to Bonhoeffer’s life. The film looks at Bonhoeffer’s youth, his religious passion, a trip to New York where he was introduced to jazz, the assassination plot and Bonhoeffer’s death just days before the end of World War II. That is not a spoiler because there have been plenty of history books written on the subject. Most of the story is told through the adult Bonhoeffer as played by German actor Jonas Dassler (“The Silent Revolution”). This role called for a performance that should include all of the delicate angles of a man facing a monumental decision. That’s lost as Dassler plays the role with a smugness that makes him a bit annoying to watch. He’s good at spouting the almost endless supply of inspirational quotes by Bonhoeffer but they play more like a reading of his work than a human delivery of the lines. The lack of appeal for the central character kills any tension that is built through the manhunt to find Bonhoeffer and his eventual death. There is a sense that Komarnicki knew he was not going to win over an audience with his main character. That is evident in the segments devoted to Bonhoeffer’s trips to Harlem. Discussions held there, especially those with Clarke Peters as Adam Clayton Powell Jr. are far more compelling than those that unfold in Germany. Peters is able to spark Dassler to his best performance in the film. That doesn’t last long as Komarnicki bounces off to a different time and place and when they land where an adult Bonhoeffer is needed. That is where the film returns to being mired in a mediocrity that shows no end. A big part of the darkness that hangs over this production comes from John Mattieson’s cinematography. Scenes shot in Ireland – used as a substitute for Germany – are stripped of color and light. This is a very dark story, but the point of Bonhoeffer’s teaching is the search for the light. A softer hand in the visual stylings would have been a better approach. This is the latest work from Angel Studios, a company that has shown skill in presenting films with strong theological messages. This miss is big because the source material was already so strong as evident by the numerous books, eight plays, one opera and several films made on Bonhoeffer’s life. Under Komarnicki’s guidance, “Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin.” has an intellectual quality but is nearly void of the heart and soul needed to properly tell the story. A more seasoned director and a better leading actor would have helped. “Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin.” is currently playing in local theaters. Movie review Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin. Grade: C+ Cast: Jonas Dassler, Phileas Heyblom, Flula Borg, August Diehl, Clarke Peters Director: Todd Komarnicki  Rated: PG-13 for language, violence, disturbing images Running time: 135 minutes.