User reviews

Telling of a rock group of four imprisoned females who escape and enjoy overnight commercial musical success because of their notoriety, "Bandits" is not of the sexsational genre of B-flicks about women in prison commonplace in America. Instead it is a stylish, artfully shot sort of quasi-musical-drama-rock-video out of Germany with verve, solid music, a creative story, and a captivating screenplay. "Bandits", which received high marks from critics and viewers, is just real enough to get involved with while being just unreal enough to make rooting for the escapees easily rationalized. Love the ending. Worth a look for those into "girl power" and rock music.

This is a refreshing and offbeat German film that keeps the viewer's interest even when the situation becomes a bit improbable. The fact that the music that these four women inmates make is likable enhances the quality of the movie, in my opinion (early on when the band does a cover, in English, of "All Along the Watchtower," an obvious yet inspired choice, I decided at that point the film was going to have merit...). Also while each of the characters has a "story," there isn't a lot of on screen emphasis given to their individual backgrounds per se.

For a film that offers a different twist on female convicts and somehow blends music, satire and the bonds of friendship, this is worth taking a look at.

...but not worth watching unless you're into chick flicks, which I am

not. I have to give Bandits credit for trying to get artistic, but really,

it's a dumb movie with a dumb storyline and pretty bad acting. I

don't usually go around saying things are "dumb," but I really did

think this movie was dumb. First of all, it's about 12 to 15 years

late. 1985-87 were the years to make a chick flick based on a

musical band of runaway convicts, not 1997. Secondly, there is

no balance between art and reality. You've got to have some sort

of realism, or good humor, if you want the audience to sympathize

with the characters. This movie lacked both. The scenes involving

anger were too fake, the characters not well developed, the

storyline too unbelievable (for lack of a better word), and not only

did it drag on for too long, but what a disappointing and spiritless

ending! I liked the music though. I think it was too tame for the

story and not consistent with the girls' characters, especially since

the most violent girls (Luna) is the founder and singer. They

needed more umph. I gave Bandits a 6 because of the effort, but if it weren't for the

photography, colors, etc. I'd have given it a 3.

I enjoyed this movie more than most of the American movies I've seen in the past year. It's also different from any other movies I've ever seen. The acting is great, and all of the characters are interesting...plus, I have to get the soundtrack. It's hard to find movies that are this original and entertaining.

I just couldn't leave the last comment to this movie as it was. I haven't seen the English dubbed version, so this might be a reason why you got such a bad impression of the movie. Having seen the original German version, I must disagree. It's not MTV 'fodder' and the characters are not stereotypical. Actually, the movie leaves a lot in the dark about the character, things you have to think about yourself when watching it. If this was 'overexplained' in the English version to make it easier for the audience, it's not the fault of the director or the plot. It IS an awfully good movie, but seeing the bad critics it got from the English speaking part, I'd advise you to watch the German version.

The actresses in this movie were pretty good, making a fairly clichéd plot Four female convicts start a rock band and escape from, jail, get chased, take a good looking hostage and have sex with him. Along the way they bond and become pop-music superstars. The story could have worked, if it wasn't interrupted every five minutes with a music "video" (it's shot beautifully on 35mm film). I like musicals, whether it's Tommy or Singing in the Rain, but while in those films musical segments create character depth or further the plot, most of the music scenes in Bandits seem like filler. The film is all about surface, and while this surface is often beautiful, the end left me unsatisfied.

There have been many movies about people escaping from jail, but few (maybe none) are like "Bandits". It focuses on a group of disgruntled young women in a German prison. When they get a chance to play outside the prison, they naturally use that chance to escape. But that's where the movie takes a surprise turn. The become the most popular band in the country.

It's a really funny movie (yes, the Germans can be funny). I particularly liked some of the things that they said while packing airplane utensils, and just the way that one of the women had a sarcastic attitude and chose to go around bending the rules just a little. A modern classic.

Now I know not just Hollywood produce fast-food teen movies. The form is attractive enough. Rock'n sex'n fame, nowadays teens' dream life. Runaway chick rock band from prison. Hmm, It could be a "Bonny and Clyde" type of material. But the director shows no interest in examining human nature. The characters don't care much about freedom. In no way their behaviour could possible derive any success, let alone human triumph. The director is only obsessed with showcasing rock music (what a band, they don't even play much original German rock song?), making it look like those cheap MTV.

Ladies in the movie seems still in their teen days. Besides music, they only seems to interest in making love. I have no sympathy for the two hollywoodized young band member, who had bitter affair with the same irresponsible cute boy on the street. They got only themselves to blame. This movie about the girl band is definitely not for girls. The plot is lame enough to adding the beat-up story of the mid-class drummer and the story of mid-age mother for her dead son. Both stories are so stereotyped that I eventually get bored.

It had great potential. Like the story of the suicidal mid-age mother, though not much rock spirit. This kind of self destruction could be generated by years of the prison experience . "Shawhank's redemption" examined and expressed similar facet. But this director choose just put spread her hormone and left the mess around. It is easy to admire the life on the edge. It is easier to get what is brought out superficially, especially in the fast changing e-days.

It has its fun moment. The movie try to switch between reality and surreal. Those rock until you have nowhere to run scene. The fate of Inevitable failure. Pretty impressive. Due to lack of vision, the director didn't explore all the potential of the movie.

Maybe I shouldn't take this movie too seriously. But after terrific German movies like "Run lola Run" (similar scene of girl on the run) and "Comedian Harmonists" (similar for a story about a musical group), this is really a let down!

No movie is perfect-not even the Godfather!Every movie has flaws, and in stating that this German film had quite a few.The genre seemed to switch between music video/musical (with dance sequences or some type of choreography) and drama.This said there were several surreal scenes, and a critique of the plot should keep this in mind.THE PLOT WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE BELIEVABLE!!-four women with different criminal backgrounds fight for thweir emancipation/try to escape from the law while trying to maintain their rock 'n' roll career.Yes, I do agree that some issues/conflicts could have been further developed e.g. the conflict between the two band members over the cute male hostage,the conflict of stardom and infamy,etc.It is interesting to note that being a rock musician is synonymous with being an outlaw.Defying figures of authority and statues of law.So the writers had a interesting concept to work with.The soundtrack was inspiring and simply rocked!!(how come they spoke in German and sung in pure English).Love the song of the final scene-Don't forget to catch me!!The actresses were blessed with talent!!All in all, the film had such an appeal to me and I love it anyhoo.

This movie has a great soundtrack -- actually written and performed by the cast. Jazzee (Tabatabai) is an amazing song writer, and cute, too. Coco Krebitz and Katja Riemann are lovely and quite talented. Drags a little in the middle, but other than that it's a fun film worth seeing (I've seen it four times myself). Summary: Appealing cast, great music, terrific cinematography, clever dialogue. Four out of five stars from me!

Hey, this definitely is one to watch. A one of a kind "German Females Shawshank Redemption goes Rock'n Roll." It was a big hit in Germany, though of course that is usually a deterrent for some odd reason. Don't let it be. If you follow video and DVD Releases, you will know it has been available for a few months now (finally) in the USA, where, I believe a movie like this would be a huge success. That is of course if it were in American English and starred Julia Roberts, instead of Katja Riemann, a big star in Germany, but of course a nobody in the US, in spite appearing in the only German movies released in the US in the past 5 years including Der Bewegte Mann - MAYBE, MAYBE NOT, and the COMEDIAN HARMONISTS. She is awesome in this role. If you like prison films, and triumph of the underdog, seemingly against all odds, run and rent this film. It is for you. As the Shawshank Redemption remains the second top-rated movie of all time here, it would follow that BANDITS should be a comparable success in the foreign film department. Additionally, it has all that female bonding which men (who usually make up over 52% of the audience) and I believe most emancipated women love to watch. See it now. You never know when these European films suddenly go out of print. In Germany, it will always be available, and is already a classic, as the previous comment indicates, and represents the majority opinion here. But no one can pinpoint why German movies are just being totally ignored since the 80s, when in fact, they have experienced a rebirth, and have become so much more accessible, so much more American, as has been the trend in almost everything in post World War II Germany. (RUN, LOLA, RUN to many is not really a movie, but a series of music videos according to many, and so can not really be called an exception.) But BANDITS is a real movie, not particularly German AT ALL. Most people will really get a kick out of it if they only gave it a shot. Watch it.

The filmakers try to copy a classic Hollywood buddy/ con movie. The outcome is simply bad, bad, bad: the plot, the music, the acting, the lightning, everything is just bad. Worst of all is the directing: obviously the movie was rushed trough principal photography without care or love by the director. Bad camera work and incredible plot holes are nothing compared to the ending which secures this `movie' a place in the movie hall of shame.

While watching movies about music or musicians, I often sympathize with these poor bastards of actors: The script requires them to play - say - a guitar, but they obviously have no clue as to how to even hold this instrument. And then the singing voice sounds so suspiciously different from the one they talk with...

In this respect, 'Bandits' is a welcome surprise: Obviously, these actresses know far more than just the pure basics of their instruments and deliver a convincing performance as a rock band. And sitting through to the end of the credits reveals that they not only did their own singing, but wrote the major part of the music and lyrics by themselves, most notably "Luna" Jasmin Tabatabai.

For me, the great music more than compensates for the rather fantastic, sometimes clichéd plot with some minor holes. All in all, a remarkable movie!

This German film was very watchable. The plot was not very strong, but the cast was great and the music excellent...especially the final song (Don't Forget to) Catch Me. I will be trying to purchase this film in VHS format, as I could watch it again and again. The sub-titles detract a little from it, but I could always learn German I guess.

I loved this film. It has a wonderful sound track and great story sort of a rock and roll meets Thelma and Louise. Or better yet the Thelma and Louise for the millennium(while this was released in 97 but who cares its close enough).The story line is a bit on the fantasy side but thats what makes it so good. And after seeing Run Lola Run I am now a very big fan of German Cinema. So see this film its wonderful in all the right ways.

Excellent movie and sound track. For international movie lovers, a must-see. I have to say that the new Generation of German actors have come a far way. To my luck I know German, and was not dependent on the subtitles. The subtitles are very inaccurate!

Do you like music ? Rock music ? So there is no way not to watch this unconventional actress-musician combination ! Katja Riemann and Jasmin Tabatabai play and sing all emotions music can spread. Top-talent Hannes Jaennicke proves again being one of the best german actors according to Schell, Brandauer, Mueller-Stahl and Prochnow.

This is pretty good directing for a pop rock music video. The entire film is basically a series of music videos glued together with a story that becomes impossible to believe before any of the major plot elements are introduced. If this wasn't in German probably it would be a good hit on the international MTV, but as it is, maybe the German MTV will show it a few times.

i am amazed at the attitude towards subtitled movies in north america, but then it shouldnt be surprising cause reading is considered work by most. i lived in europe for the first 25 years of my life, so i am used to watching movies from many different countries. since i'm living in north america i miss the french and italian thrillers and comedies, historic movies that are written from a different point of view... a non-"we rule the world" point of view people rather wait for hollywood to make a sad copy of a good movie, than watching the original thanks to dvd players that play any region DVD and TVs that can take Pal and NTSC its easier now to see european movies, thanks to online sales and auctions.

Bandits is a film filled with laughter, tears, and good old fashioned Rock'n'roll. And if your a man who thinks this film is just another lowly chick flick you have another thing coming, Bandits is filled with something for everyone and I mean everyone! So if have not seen it get up off your rear, pick up your keys, rent it- buy it, whatever, just remember to keep your keys handy because you just may need to go out and get your hands on the killer soundtrack!!!

This movie is just beautiful! Everything fits in. The actresses are more then conveincing, the plot is a great melange of silence and action - a real story with real women and a gorgeous fairytale in one. And: don't miss the soundtrack!!! Baby, don`t forget to catch me!

This was an emotionally charged film about the life paths of four women, each pulling the group in different directions while fighting to co-exist and survive the cards dealt to them. While it started to get very "Hollywood" toward the end, it still offered several things that moviegoers will find very appealing. The soundtrack offers a variety of catchy tunes for music lovers. For the romantic types, it offers two scenes of intense passion and sex appeal. While some of it was slightly over the top on believability, it was still none the less, a movie that warrants an audience. It was very well made and that can be seen and heard throughout. Obviously, the crew behind the scenes did their part in all aspects of the film making process. From sound to cinematography, to editing, this tasty little film has a touch of class that offers a deeper meaning then initially expected. I just watched it for the first time (12/21/05), but have wanted to see it since the first time I saw the trailer when I bought "Lola Rent" several years ago. Finally I found it in cyberspace and was pleasantly surprised that it was subtitled and not dubbed.

I've never really seen any non-english movies before this one that i really liked before or even a good german film before this one and i'd just like to say that this movie really ROCKS!!! it has great songs on it that are in english