November 23, 2008
Very disappointing. I believe the makers of this spent hundreds of hours exhaustively researching the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon, but the problem is the director seems to want to put on screen most of what he knows. The film lacks the necessary focus to compress things into 2 ½ hours - is it a bio-pic, an action movie or a political exegesis? What we have is an uneasy amalgam of all three, none done particularly well. We never get to learn what makes the principals tick, especially Ulrike Meinhof, who turns from being a home-loving mother and part-time journalist to a snarling action-woman in the unexplained blink of an eye. Nor is it clear whether Baader was ever more than a lout full of anger.
The Baader-Meinhof events are great material for the cinema, but more directorial self-discipline will be wanted for their successful presentation.
The Baader-Meinhof events are great material for the cinema, but more directorial self-discipline will be wanted for their successful presentation.