Die Vierhändige

Die Vierhändige/Four Hands is an accomplished, intelligent and remarkable film that keeps viewers at the edges of their seats. Twisting and turning, it engages both the senses and the mind. The story about two sisters' struggle with the death of their parents at a young age addresses themes of identity, responsibility and retaliation through genre-tropes and considerable filmmaking talent.

Die Vierhändige is the work of a technically adept filmmaker, crew and a talented cast. Writer-Director Oliver Kienle shows great skill in telling a gripping story. Through atmospheric and well-composed images (courtesy of cinematographer Yoshi Heimrath) and rhythmic montage (editor: Philipp Thomas) this thriller sets itself apart from most contemporary German films. It is closer to Scandinavian cinema or American genre-films in style and feel.

Though the subject matter is bleak at times, the film provides an authentic and comprehensible treatment of feelings of loss, love, loneliness and staying strong in a seemingly dismal situation. Furthermore it is a film with strong female lead characters, compellingly portrayed by Frida-Lovisa Hamann and Friederike Becht.

So watch it if it runs in a theater near you. If not, watch it on DVD, BluRay or VoD. I strongly recommend this film to anyone who wants to broaden their horizon regarding European and German cinema.

Sisterly love - and guilt to a degree. But a guilt most of us have never experienced in a sibling relationship. If your parents get murdered when you are young ... that will leave quite the scars. And it is exactly what happens here - it's how the movie begins quite frankly. From there we jump forward and see the girls who have grown up, but never fully overcame what happened ... can you blame them? One might or seems to have less issues than the other and there might be a reason for that.

Now there are many things that might make this true and the movie keeps you guessing, especially when it blurs line between reality and what the main character(s) see! I am not used to seeing a German thriller movie that works quite as well - is something I am used hearing and I have said it before too. But recent years have shown to those who doubt the quality (or maybe are just plain fed up with all the comedies and dramas and lack of good genre content) ... that they shouldn't! And this movie is another very fine example of that ...

I saw this film as a recommendation of a friend and I am glad he did so. At first I was hesitant, because German films are mostly not my cup of tea. This one is different: It is a dark, atmospheric, effective piece of cinema, more reminiscent of Danish or Swedish crime thrillers or American Independent Cinema. The direction is on point, the performances remarkable (didn't know the lead-actresses before, now I do!), the story is simple but captivating, here and there a little twisted, without giving too much away. Especially the mood and the images stayed in my mind, after I left the screening. I'd definitely watch it again!

Wow im impressed.

Cinematography/visual imagery 10/10 Acting from both Sisters 10/10 when she turns into the other one is some realy creepy and disturbing stuff.

Loved the genre too its Thriller,Psycho-thriller,horror at times, Crime,Drama just to name a few. This movie gave me everything "Split" couldn't, hat's off to you germans this one is a gem.

Normally I'm not the genre-film-type, but the premise of this film sounded intriguing--also, I like stories with strong/tough female characters. My expectations weren't that high, though I'm open for surprises. And, boy, was I blown away! The actresses are fantastic, the screenplay is well written and effectively executed. The suspense builds early on and never let's off until the final nail-biting minutes. You never know what to expect from the next scene, you'll be surprised, thrilled and totally engaged in the story. I would recommend this film to anyone with a taste for genre-fare, thrillers, or fine cinema in general. As a woman I'm especially excited that 'Die Vierhändige' centers on strong female protagonists and doesn't shy away from bending the gender-rules in cinema. At least a little bit. Just watch it!