Review by FakeShemp-1

What happens when a genius of satire collides with popular comedians of German TV...? Not necessarily something good. The comedy-content is very poor and looks like thrown in just for commercial reasons to fit into the successful tradition of other German comedy-movies of the last years. But it's done very poor. Flat humour is not Polt's and his director's (Hans Christian Müller) cup of tea who have made great satires together in the 70ies/80ies for TV and the big screen. And because the comedy in "Germanikus" is loud and in the foreground, Polts more subtle ideas get almost erased totally here. I feel sorry for Polt because for me he always was and still will be the better and far more intelligent alternative to flat German comedy. Strangely, here he has delivered exactly what he does not stand for. This movie should be buried really deep. Gerhard Polt in his earlier films and especially on stage is a whole different world. A delight! But this movie here is torture. It was maybe messed up by too many cooks with too many differing interests. At least, it only can get better now! ;)