Anatomia 2

... last semester? Or last movie ... although to be fair we get a new group of people with at least one surviving character returning, to make an impact ... a little impact at least. And depending on what character I mean ... and what part of the movie I'm talking about. But back to basics - they really thought of things, medicine wise, something that is even more apparent in the first movie or at least feels like that.

We get another bunch of teenagers (or is tweens? Probably the latter, but I never bothered to check their age) who try to learn about Anatomy. And some have quite the freaky methods to do so. Now the motives of the villain(s?) of this movie are sinister but also they have good intentions ... when has that ever been a good excuse? I know - still it is quite intriguing and something that somewhat saves this movie from total obscurity.

Like the first one, this has a bonus scene right after the credits start rolling ... in this case it may be even more important ... well if there ever had been an Anatomy 3 that is ... because it seems like quite the set up for it ... but what do I know, right?

For some reason (what? I don't know) I had been putting off seeing this film for a while, even though I am a big fan of the first one. Well, after watching it I don't feel so bad about waiting so long. This film is probably about 60% more boring and uninteresting than the first; Not to mention Franka Potente's screen time is only about 10 minutes total. The film is only around an hour and a half long but it felt like we were sitting there for 2 and a half hours. It was extremely slow paced and uneventful...the only things good about it were the idea of the storyline, the one decent tension building scene and the brother of the main actor. Other than that I can't really give anyone that is a fan of the first a big reason to rush out and buy/rent this thing. 5/10

The doctor and soccer player in the leisure time Jo Hauser (Barnaby Metschurat) decides to move to Berlin and be an intern in a famous clinic, expecting to increase his knowledge and expertize, and help his handicap brother Willi Hauser (Hanno Koffer). He joins a secret fraternity of doctors, under the leadership of Prof. Müller-LaRousse (Herbert Knaup), who is researching the use of bionic muscles in human beings without any ethics or respect to the laws. The team is also volunteer to the experiences, and is under investigation of Paula Henning (Franka Potente). When Jo gets close to a Filipino nurse, and becomes addicted in the drugs used in experience, he realizes the truth hidden in the methods used by the secret society in the development of science. "Anatomy 2" is a deceptive and forgettable story with total lack of credibility. The participation of Franka Potente is ridiculous, only to give her name to the credits and to attract her fans. The implausible story is very imbecile, but anyway if the viewer shutdown the brain, the film entertains. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Anatomia 2" ("Anatomy 2")

From Dr. Frankenstein to Dr. Mengele, Germany has developed quite a reputation for…hmm.. how shall we put it?…"unconventional" men of science.

It's appropriate, then, that the German film "Anatomy 2" should be a brave-new-world sci-fi thriller that deals with the issues of biomedical ethics and just how far science should be allowed to go in trying to "improve" on Mother Nature.

Professor Muller-LaRousse is a world famous neurosurgeon who has been covertly conducting questionable experiments, implanting synthetic muscles into perfectly healthy young men and women (who also happen to be his devoted interns). Even though a disturbing number of these "guinea pigs" have died as a result of the procedures, LaRousse forges on, undeterred and undaunted, convinced - as any mad scientist worth his salt would be - that scientific advancement cannot be allowed to run aground on the shoals of a few trivial dead bodies. His plan is to create some sort of "master race" of invincible semi-humans. Jo Hauser is a promising young doctor who has come to Berlin to work and study under LaRousse, confident that he will be able to make a real difference not only in the lives of others but particularly in the life of his younger brother who has fallen victim to a degenerative neurological disorder. Filled with idealism, Jo allows himself to be pulled into LaRousse's group of sycophantic acolytes, perhaps to his everlasting regret.

The film is obviously intended as a modern day allegory of Nazism - what with its emphasis on group-think, unethical medical experimentation and talk about creating a "master race" - but the movie feels just too much like other - and better - dystopian sci-fi fantasies to be very effective. The intriguing medical ethics issues are eventually shunted aside for a series of protracted action scenes overflowing with typical mad scientist malarkey and man-on-the-run clichés.

That's a shame because the movie starts off with a better-than-average premise that promises a thoughtful re-examination of an age-old theme. However, "Anatomy 2" just winds up being silly where it most desperately needs to be serious.

the first one was great (a common sequel-problem...?)... this time it's a different approach to tell the story: more action, which results in fast cuts and steady-cam... but also in a lack of time to explain all reused elements from the first one (good!) and to introduce them (very bad!). The main characters are too stereotyped and don't show enough plausible development... at least it isn't boring for a second but it could have been done much better...