Current Release: DER BAADER MEINHOF KOMPLEX
THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX has been getting a bit of a rough ride in some quarters for allegedly glorifying terrorism. I'd take issue with that. I won't even get into the whole debate about when exactly someone is classified as a terrorist because that's been done to death elsewhere and you're not likely to see anything resolved here.
I do have a problem with the accusation that this film glorifies it though. It portrays the infamous Red Army Faction sympathetically certainly (helped by a cast consisting of a who's who of modern German cinema) - not entirely, but enough to avoid a two-dimensional whitewash of the issues at least. There's always a problem mind you that you're either going to make them sympathetic or you're going to go too far in the other direction and end up with pantomime villains.
The film also makes many of the events look exciting - but where's the problem with that? Maybe it's just me but, right or wrong, I'd imagine robbing a bank does provide a bit of an adrenaline rush. I don't suggest you go out and try it (it's WRONG, people) but it does strike me as being the kind of thing that probably would get your heart racing one way or another.
Neither of these things could really be used as an argument for the glorification of terrorism though. The film doesn't shy away from the unpleasantness that acts of violence involve and it certainly doesn't make killing someone look cool.
As for whether or not its any good... yep, it's good. The first half of the film is in fact absolutely exhilarating. Early on there is a scene of a street riot that is so in your face you can almost feel the spray from the fire hoses. The film does a good job of keeping this kind of excitement going too, up until the second half of the film when suddenly the action and violence gives way to courtroom scenes and incarcerated people bickering.
It's at this stage that it begins to suffer. Devoid of the action that thrilled so much at the start, the story tries to take in terrorism on an epic scale but ends up losing its way. The distinct, colourful visuals give way to the drab greys of court rooms and jail cells and the life seems to be sucked out of the film. It doesn't help that there are moments that call to mind documentaries ONE DAY IN SEPTEMBER and GUERILLA: THE TAKING OF PATTY HEARST, which only reminds you of their superiority at handling the stories and issues raised here.
That makes the film sound like a failure though, and I don't mean to sound so harsh. It's still a film worth seeing and there is still enough on offer to make the second half interesting. Compared to the rush of the opening hour however you can't help feeling that it ends with a bit of a damp squib.
I do have a problem with the accusation that this film glorifies it though. It portrays the infamous Red Army Faction sympathetically certainly (helped by a cast consisting of a who's who of modern German cinema) - not entirely, but enough to avoid a two-dimensional whitewash of the issues at least. There's always a problem mind you that you're either going to make them sympathetic or you're going to go too far in the other direction and end up with pantomime villains.
The film also makes many of the events look exciting - but where's the problem with that? Maybe it's just me but, right or wrong, I'd imagine robbing a bank does provide a bit of an adrenaline rush. I don't suggest you go out and try it (it's WRONG, people) but it does strike me as being the kind of thing that probably would get your heart racing one way or another.
Neither of these things could really be used as an argument for the glorification of terrorism though. The film doesn't shy away from the unpleasantness that acts of violence involve and it certainly doesn't make killing someone look cool.
As for whether or not its any good... yep, it's good. The first half of the film is in fact absolutely exhilarating. Early on there is a scene of a street riot that is so in your face you can almost feel the spray from the fire hoses. The film does a good job of keeping this kind of excitement going too, up until the second half of the film when suddenly the action and violence gives way to courtroom scenes and incarcerated people bickering.
It's at this stage that it begins to suffer. Devoid of the action that thrilled so much at the start, the story tries to take in terrorism on an epic scale but ends up losing its way. The distinct, colourful visuals give way to the drab greys of court rooms and jail cells and the life seems to be sucked out of the film. It doesn't help that there are moments that call to mind documentaries ONE DAY IN SEPTEMBER and GUERILLA: THE TAKING OF PATTY HEARST, which only reminds you of their superiority at handling the stories and issues raised here.
That makes the film sound like a failure though, and I don't mean to sound so harsh. It's still a film worth seeing and there is still enough on offer to make the second half interesting. Compared to the rush of the opening hour however you can't help feeling that it ends with a bit of a damp squib.
Labels: German cinema
posted by Alan at 7:01 pm
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