Product Description
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Germany in the 1970s: Murderous bomb attacks, the threat of
terrorism and the fear of the enemy inside are rocking the very
foundations of the still-fragile German democracy. The
radicalized children of the Nazi generation led by Andreas Baader
(Moritz Bleibtreu), Ulrike Meinhof (Martina Gedeck) and Gudrun
Ensslin (Johanna Wokalek) are fighting a violent war against what
they perceive as the new face of fascism: American imperialism
supported by the German establishment, many of whom have a Nazi
past. Their is to create a more human society, but by
employing inhuman means they not only spread terror and
bloodshed, they also lose their own humanity. The man who
understands them is also their hunter: The head of the German
force Horst Herold (Bruno Ganz). And while he succeeds in
his relentless pursuit of the young terrorists, he knows he's
only dealing with the tip of the iceberg.
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A subject of enduring fascination for Germans (and anybody
interested in the more vivid manifestations of the '60s
counterculture), the Baader Meinhof gang roared through Europe
for years, dividing a population that either demonized or
romanticized their exploits. In The Baader Meinhof Complex the
goal for director Uli Medel (Last Exit to Brooklyn) and
screenwriter Bernd Eichinger is to play the material down the
middle: to portray the events of the outlaw group without
deciding they are either heroes or terrorists. Some of the
motives for the Baader Meinhof gang are laid out early on; for
instance, that for the generation born in Germany after Hitler's
nightmare had ended, a return to fascism was unacceptable--even
to the point of guerrilla activities against the state. Some of
Germany's biggest stars are involved in bringing the principals
to life, including Moritz Bleibtreu (Run Lola Run) as the
self-important ringleader Andreas Baader and Johanna Wokalek
(North Face) as Gudrun Ensslin, his coconspirator and lover. The
most intriguing narrative thread of the story comes from the
decision by journalist Ulrike Meinhof (Martina Gedeck, from The
Lives of Others) to leap from her stable life and abruptly join
Baader and Ensslin on the run. The subversive activities of the
Red Army Faction (as the group dubbed itself), including bombings
and arson attacks, are chronicled in rapid, blunt fashion by the
movie, which seems less interested in a thoughtful reflection on
these incidents than in shoving them in your face. In that sense,
you might begin to wish the movie had taken a side, just to
provide some coherent perspective. As a rush of sensations, the
film's appeal can't be denied, and it scored an O nomination
in the 2008 Best Foreign Language Film category. Although it runs
two and a half hours, you might find yourself wishing for more
screen time for the investigator (the great Bruno Ganz) tracking
down the gang. His character has the gall to suggest that in
trying to understand a terrorist group, it is advisable to trace
back the roots of their motivations and attempt to grapple with
those causes--an idea as unpopular in the 1970s as it always is.
--Robert Horton
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Review
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a taut, unnerving film, --The New York Times
powerful...features masterful storytelling and bravura
performances, --The Hollywood Reporter
Fascinating, --Los Angeles Times
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