Wolfsfährte

Just saw it on German TV. Supposedly, it is unique in mood, surprising, and digging real deep. Unfortunately, this whole thing is quite a disappointment, film-wise, psychology-wise. If I had been to a movie theater, I'd sneak out (embarrassed, hoping no-one would see me), and I'd want my money back now. So there is a serial killer leaving hints ('cos he likes to play? or finally wants to be caught)? How neat (that was irony.) And those hints are from Grimm's fairy-tales? hahaha ... how ridiculous! (I felt sorry for the actors having to recite those fairy lines.) And, yes, dear audience, let's start into the film with (one of many) fat cliché(s): the top-cop loses a dear mate in a chase, and -- oh surprise -- it just may be his fault (guilt! guilt! guilt!) ... that should crack him a little, give him a little extra surface, uh? What else have we got? A lycanthrope (wanna-be-wolfman), a ritually tattooed moron who likes to run around with a wolf's mask eventually crying "es ist vollbracht!" (it's done!) when he is about to be caught (psychologically little about this character is convincing), the top cop in bed with his psych' (no tension, no conflict here), the usual suspect (child-molester) hanging himself, the chief of police rambling blabla (like: "we gotta hurry, the next victim is awaiting")... etc.etc. Oh Lord, spare us from (German) films like these. And spare us from German festival juries who probably will think this stuff is good (hey, there must be some "stupid German (film fund) money" in it), 'cos some overseas-author wrote some novel as source. Urs Egger (the director) didn't shine here, not at all. The main actors weren't bad (only given bad lines), the rest of them pretty forgettable like this odd oeuvre, hopefully. It's just no good to blindly adapt. The German "crime story landscape" is different. Maybe less fairy tale, but more substance. I still have the hope it is, or can be.

I pretty much agree with the previous commenter -- very dumb idea of structuring show in an American format with an artificial plot, based on fairy tales, albeit Cherman FT's.... I watch Krimis mainly to add something to my pitiful Deutsche, but few have even Cherman subtitles (which is what I would prefer, rather than Anglische). Something like this in Murcahn moviedom is that movie Seven (Pitt-Freeman), with a stupid plot structure based on the nummer sieben. Gives the audience a crutch to use to feel aware of the general plot structure, rather than having them find out and figure out fully, along with the cops, what is happening and how the criminals are motivated, whom they are going to strike next, etc.

I guess, in general, pretty much all crime shows, esp TV-series-types, are subject to the same limitations of methods and modes. Constant screen writing of cop shows in a series, US or Cherman, has to be mind-numbing, and affects the audience the same way. Which is why audiences prefer real movies, based on well-written books, with unique plots and characters. And subtitle options. And more shots of shirtless Fräuleins wudd be guude, Krimi series or real movies, any language. Culturally uplifting and redeeming of schlechte Grundstücke....

And as a rule of thumb, remember that If the Plot Fits Brad Pitt, a Bad Plot Will Be Your Lot .... (I now take that back -- he did excellently in some other movies, like the unique mystery/spy/thriller re a dumb gym trainer / blackmailer, with Clooney as a bumbling State Dept maroon caught up in some torrid affair or other -- nothing like the idiotic Oceans thriller caper movie series they did. Quality plot / quality acting. Depends on what he's given, and/or what he will insist on getting -- as a big-name star, he ought to be able to insist on quality book-stories, and even buy some himself and make some movies himself.... Thinque Robt Redford's Navajo cop set, based on Hillerman books....) This is bluef ... and I approve this message ....

As in how low can you go? Maybe I should not explain my jokes - but maybe that helps my cases of "no pun intended" - which is one of the things I like to say. It is a bit that may feel like a new gimmick, but even if I had not used it in my first reviews, I always tried to include a pun or two (or way more).

You have to suspend your disbelief here - more so than with some other movies. Why? Because this is made for tv - and you can tell they did not have too much money (budget wise) to make it. That said, the actors do try their best to make a decent genre movie in Germany, so you have to applaud that. You may be able to recognize some of the actors too, which always is helpful.

It also is short, which is a nice thing. But again: I may be rating too nicely, but I try to take certain things into account too ...