Direção Explosiva

"Steig. Nicht. Aus!" is a remake of the Spanish thriller "El desconocido" (or known in the USA under its equally non-specific title "Redemption"), and as the older movie is currently on Netflix in my region and I like to compare different adaptations of the same story, I watched the Spanish film before going into the German update.

So, having seen the same story a couple days prior, my problem with "Steig. Nicht. Aus!" wasn't as much that it was terribly made (it's at least more watchable than most movies I would give 3 stars), it's that the movie gave me nothing new that I didn't already get out of "Desconocido". In fact, some aspects of the remake are a few steps below the original.

Take, for example, the opening scene, which is the only scene that writer-director Christian Alvart doesn't lift from the Spanish version: Our main character talks to a strange woman on a plane about his fear of flying, which stems from his not being able to just step the vehicle and get out. Get it? Because he won't be able to get out of his car either, once the film stars proper. Foreshadowing!

The opening scene quickly morphs into the that of "El desconocido," and from that point onwards Christian Alvart's script is little more than a German translation of that movie's script. This practice of making the same movie again in a different language is very irritating to me, because the experience of watching this movie can be almost completely replaced by watching an earlier movie - and one that is much better made.

Much of this movie revolves around main actor Wotan Wilke Möhring sitting in a car and talking to people on his phone. Sadly, he is no Tom Hardy (or "Desconocido"-star Luis Tosar, for that matter). He alternately under- or overacts, leading to some unintentionally funny moments. Luis Tosar in "El desconocido" was able to portray different levels of concern and panic, slowly growing more stressed as the film went on. Möhring just gets rid of every emotion that isn't extreme anger or slight uncomfortableness.

The direction is equally unsubtle, with many cheesy zooms in Möhring's face when he is in beast-mode. The music is also quite overbearing, at least in the beginning. The supporting actors do a good job, and the film is overall probably quite watchable if you've got nothing better to do with your evening. If you have the choice between this and its predecessor, I would strongly advise you to watch the other one, though.

This movie had me nailed to my seat, or rather: seats. I had to make two attempts at watching it. I am a father of two myself, and the first time round I had to turn off the tv when things got to tough for the kids. But the seed was sown and I found myself wondering what the heck was going on in this story, and I needed to find out. So I watched the rest online two days later. I don't regret it. I felt the pain of the father, wondered about the villain and his next moves, got angry at the police making bad mistakes, and rooted for the heros. And at the end I realized that this is what good movies do.

P.S.: Emily Kusche did a fantastic job. I loved her even better than Wilke Möhring. In every second, the emotional state she displayed reflected precisely the situation she was in.

Just please dont watch this movie if you someone who prefer movies which actually make sense. This movie could have been good if the plot was thoroughly planned. 1) It can be logical if the wife suspicious when her husband instruct her to empty their account and leave the money elsewhere. But when the polices believe that the husband, Karl was keeping their children as hostage in the car with bomb & ask her to talk to him, she make it sounds as if he could be that heartless to kill their kids. She could have say, despite their wreck marriage he wont do that. 2) The police actually let someone claiming to be "Karl's brother" (w/o confirming his identification or cross refer to Karl's wife about the stranger's identity), approach rhe car they were stuck in. It was only later that the bomb squad leader decided to cross check with Karl's wife. The police had also simply believe a false info given by lover of Karl's wife who claimed to be her lawyer. Again only later on they recheck the info given by asking Karl's wife. 3) when the chief of bomb squad called the wife to cross check regarding the "profile" they've accumulated about Karl, then only she told the chief that there's no way Karl would do it + he loves their children, that they have no financial prob & Karl was not an addict to gambling (false info). 4) they actually let the guy claiming to be "Karl's brother" away. Which lead to him able to get to Karl a step ahead from the police near the end. 5) both the police leading the operation & the chief of bomb squad did not share info regarding the situation leading to many misunderstanding. They could have realised earlier that karl was not holding their children as hostage but instead they all are hostages. 6) shouldnt the police & the chief of bomb squad learn body languange to read the criminal movement/ tendencies? If not shouldnt they one pyschologist available at site to observe their behaviours to predict his move. Its obvious Karl was in distressed & showing multiple symptoms of a victim needing help. 7) the most unreasonable one would be,how can his kid got shot. In the legs. When the bullet came from the front. It is only logical if it hits the father or the kid (Marius) upper abdomen. 8) They have confiscated his car key, & still felt like Karl is a bad guy when it is so obvious he only manage to start his car & escape after they send in the real bad guy claiming to be "Karl's brother". 9) They aware that the mic they put on "Karl's brother was cut off which should have raised the alarm since it happen before "Karl's brother" manage to reach the car, in other words, he purposely get rid of the mic so that they cant hear his convo with Karl. That being said, they should have at least felt suspicious & put him under surveillance afterwards. So yeah, this movie is poorly plan, too many plot holes & things that dont make sense.

The good intentions are obvious . The effort of Wotan Wilke Mohring is impresive. The film has few great moments . But... . Far to be bad, it has few huge sins. Against the story, it is not convincing. Second, it seems be only a strident moral lesson. Not the last, you feel the end becoming predictable. And, sure, one more problem- it is too, too long. The last seems be the basic sin.

Emily Kusche Stands out. Impeccable.

Möhring is solid, sometimes great, sometimes not so much. Probably not his fault but some of the director's choices.

The sound design is not always flawless. Stemming from its direct to TV -production.

Some minor characters are mediocre at best. Especially the police chief (not Herzsprung). Overacted, dumb and kills the illusion.

Some pacing issues in the second half.

A very odd music choice for the credits.

Some even to the most oblivious viewers very concerning and obvious mistakes by the police. (Did they not have a strategic consultant?) As well as more rather bad acting.

But overall solid. Gripping. Heartfelt. And a triumph for Kusche.

7/10.