A Maldição do Anel

When i first heard of this film i wanted to see it, so i sat and watched it. Unlike other people i actually enjoyed it. I liked it that much a year and a half later i bought it. Personally i liked the actors in this especially Kristanna Loken. She was terrific in this film. She portrayed her character the Queen of Iceland very well and she is quite terrifying. I had no problem with Benno Furmann either. I think Benno and Kristanna were a good match on screen, made a good couple. The story is very good, its a bit Romeo and Juliet-sh which i like especially when it is a fantasy film as well. Good effects, the dragon Fanfir was believable. Julian Sands as ever makes a good bad guy, just brilliant! I never listen to other peoples comments as i like to see things for myself. I give this film 9 out of 10, because its no Lord Of The Rings i agree but this is in my eyes a love story. Lord Of The Rings was more about war.

The picture is based on Germanic mythology ,¨Der Niebelungen¨, a Nordic legend that inspired J.R.R. Tolkien to write the Lord of the Ring trilogy . It narrates the legend of a hero named Siegfred (Benno Furmann) who, not knowing that he is heir to a conquered kingdom, becomes popular with the Burgunds . As the young blacksmith meets the location where is stashed the Niebelungen treasure that's protected by a dwarf and a giant dragon . Siegfred slain and kills the dragon and he bathes in its blood (exception a body part where falls a leaf) . He'll become invulnerable vanquishing every enemies after numerous battles and confronting many dangers , misfortunes and risks. He marries a princess of Burgundios named Kriemhild (Alicia Witt) by means of a potion and then the Queen of Island Brunnhild (Kristinna Loken) will execute her vengeance , fulfillment a prophecy of rampage , ravage and destruction . In addition , Hagen (Julian Sands ) will try to take the Niebelungen gold .

This mythological , dark , epic, brooding film is plenty of archetypal personages and were jingoist tributes , in fact the Niebelungen heroes were even loved by the same Hitler. The movie is adapted from Germanic legends , even Richard Wagner made Operas about these deeds as ¨ Gold of Rhin¨ , ¨Cavalcade of Walkirias and ¨Ring of Niebelungen¨ . Besides , it inspired to J.R.R. Tolkien and his ¨Lord Of the Rings¨ . It has recently discovered a treasure next to Haelsinburg (Sweden) that's called ¨the Atila gold¨ and can be the legendary Niebelungen treasure . There are other versions about these epic facts , such as the 1967 movie featured by Terence Hill , Karin Door , Herbert Lom and directed by Harald Reilm which is considered average and of course the classic silent adaptation directed by Fritz Lang that is the best deemed . This modern rendition for television is spectacular and colorful and its narration is quite well . The flick will appeal to historical epic buffs and legendary heroes fans. Rating : good and well worth seeing.

I really enjoyed the movie (having read the Wagner play for my German classes a decade ago, and then already liking the story). Of course there are not many surprises, given that the story is one and an half centuries old (more if you trace back to the original legends)

Most acting was decent, I didn't like the performance of Alicia Witt though, though I can't really pinpoint what irritated me about her performance. Of course she is not a likable character, but it just seemed that the timing was a bit off, and the acting was a bit forced.

I also liked some of the historic points like the reference to the Roman Emperor, and little details like Roman legionairs (or at least people using their weaponry and armour) walking in the cities. Xanten, one of the central cities was one of the most important, if not the most important Roman city in the Germania Superior province.

It was by accident that I happened upon this movie on the sci/fi channel and realized what the story was really about- I enjoyed it very much and purchased the DVD after seeing it. I do wish the DVD was the original, however instead of the edited version. I am a major supporter of the new Beowulf and Grendel film by Sturla Gunnarson and think it's of interest that Nordic tales are making a comeback. We are definitely in need of some heroic myths that demonstrate the dichotomy/conflict inherent in these stories- That the human experience is not black versus white extremes- but all the colors in between..Finally I actually get the basic story of Siegfried and the ring of the Nieblungs..and I want to find out the rest of the story!

Actually it started out OK but the ending was really crappy. Imagine "LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring" end with Frodo destroying the Ring just because the director wanted the story to fit into a 3h time frame.

The left out Act 2 and 3 of the Nibelung Saga where Kriemhild kills here Brothers, Sacrifies here Family, her Children and here country just in the name of revenging here husband. Where Hagen hides the gold of the Nibelungs in the Rhein never to be found again.

This really is what the Nibelung Saga makes it that great and tragic and they killed it off.

So I was pretty disappointed in the entire movie after seeing the end. In summary I cannot recommend this Movie what SAT1 called "The Movie event of the year" they better should have made it into a 2-3 parter which the actual story being told. So if you want to see the Nibelungs their was an film made in the 70's which the whole story in it.