Rheingold

Once again we have fatih akin trying to depict immigrant life in germany from the lens of someone who "understands" the struggles and tribulations of worker class families.

It is his n-th attempt of doing so and it is neither getting more original nor any more accurate. What we have instead is a very distorted negative view of immigrants who appear to be weak minded and drawn to crime with the sole personality of being violent. It is outdated stereotypes on screen doing very little to show any relatable personality. After that you can understand that it is a drag to watch and not recommended.

I didn't expect such good quality, especially because German productions have often left me uninterested in the past. However, Rheingold breaks that trend with a gripping story that mixes rap culture and gangster themes. While this may not be everyone's cup of tea, the film excels with its strong performances and intense moments that really keep you on the edge of your seat. There were multiple scenes that got me genuinely invested, and the pacing kept things engaging without feeling rushed. The music and visuals were well-crafted, adding a fresh vibe to the story. If you enjoy films with a gritty edge and well-told, character-driven narratives, this is definitely worth checking out. All in all, Rheingold proves that German cinema has more to offer than expected. I give it a solid 7/10 stars.

Since it's a biopic, we can look past the fact that there is no positive female figure of importance in this entire movie. But what we can not ignore is the horrid casting and writing.

Even though it's a movie, the characters don't fly off the page, they are all super linear. I think the DOP did excellent work, especially for a German production. You can really tell because sometimes the camera and music were the only things that were able to portray feelings in various scenes, when barely anything came from the actors.

I really wanted to love this movie. I was super hyped about the story, but sadly I was mostly disappointed.

It felt like 3 different movies for me. The movie has so much potential as the actual life of german rapper Xatar is fascinating and eventful. But the movie is just one big macho movie with a lot of basic and predictable dialogues and jokes that hardly hit their mark. Xatar is a refugee who becomes a criminal and then a rapper, but the movie failed to make that connection. The music is alright, the cinematography is great, story and acting is where it's lacking. Sadly some things in the story are left unexplained and other parts seem overly extended. I think for me the movie fell apart, because of Emilio's acting. I could not relate to many of his choices, as he failed to sell me on his attempt to play this bad boy who has supposedly been through some of the worst situations.

"Rheingold" tells the fictional story of Xatar, the rapper and gangster from Bonn. First of all, it should be mentioned that you should not expect a biography. This film is more aligned with gangster epics like "Scarface," "Blow," etc. While it takes the artistic persona of Xatar and tells a very Hollywood-style story of his rise, it largely follows events that likely did happen, such as the gold heist or his prison album. However, I strongly doubt that much of it happened exactly as shown. If you watch the film with this mindset, you will have a good time. I really enjoyed the film. Emilio Sakraya shines in his role as Xatar, and you can tell he had a lot of fun playing him.

The first third, which focuses on Xatar's youth, is a bit cumbersome. It could have been shorter. Once the main story with the adult Xatar begins, the film picks up speed. The overall acting is a mixed bag. Emilio and his comrades do a pretty good job. However, there are other German actors who act too theatrically. Unfortunately, this is often the case with German films, where there is a lot of exaggerated gesticulation and mimicry.

All in all, I had a good time. Especially for a German film, "Rheingold" is really worth watching.