The creature is being revived by the Nazis to assist them. The interest of Hitler and others in his hierarchy in supernatural phenomena is well-known, and often used by writers and movies (as here) to update an older type of story, in this case, the Golem of Prague. Even though they locate the keep where the Golem's spirit is trapped, they need an expert to help them animate it so as to use it. Accordingly, they pull a Jewish scholar out of a concentration camp to do the necessary. What they don't know is that the Golem has an enemy whose sole purpose is to make sure that he stays incorporeal and buried in the keep, so when he's disturbed, this hunter (Scott Glenn) is aware of it and comes looking for him. This, of course, leads to the showdown, which, as I recall (I saw the movie many years ago on TV) is divided into a couple of parts before we get to the final finale (so to speak).
I don't really see how the plot could be clearer than it is. What it requires from viewers is a willingness to sit still and let the story unfold. They photography and the shooting style is typical Michael Mann, which is to say, beautifully done. The Golem too is not simply a monster, but an intelligent beast, one who can sweet-talk the people around him into doing his bidding, or at least, blunt their purposes by making them question their own motives. Quite unusual for a monster film. The presentation of the monster too is unique, first appearing as a mere cloud or presence, and only slowly gaining solidity and form as the movie goes on.
What works less well is the decision to shoot almost entirely on a set, something which almost forces the decision to stylize, and while the set design is good, the sound and colour isn't always (surprisingly) as well controlled as in Mann's other films. Mann seems to have thought that since the film is set in the 1940s, it would be cool to make the film resemble a 1940s studio piece. It's only a partial success on this level. The pacing, as indicated already, is a bit slow, yet these are all minor flaws compared with the overall impact of the film, a monster film with brains. I loved it and keep waiting for a DVD release, with as much restored footage as possible, since I've heard rumours over the years of truncated production and post-production meddling by the studio. Heaven knows if these are true, but in any case the film deserves better treatment and a wider showing, if only to acknowledge Mann's ambitious attempt.
I don't really see how the plot could be clearer than it is. What it requires from viewers is a willingness to sit still and let the story unfold. They photography and the shooting style is typical Michael Mann, which is to say, beautifully done. The Golem too is not simply a monster, but an intelligent beast, one who can sweet-talk the people around him into doing his bidding, or at least, blunt their purposes by making them question their own motives. Quite unusual for a monster film. The presentation of the monster too is unique, first appearing as a mere cloud or presence, and only slowly gaining solidity and form as the movie goes on.
What works less well is the decision to shoot almost entirely on a set, something which almost forces the decision to stylize, and while the set design is good, the sound and colour isn't always (surprisingly) as well controlled as in Mann's other films. Mann seems to have thought that since the film is set in the 1940s, it would be cool to make the film resemble a 1940s studio piece. It's only a partial success on this level. The pacing, as indicated already, is a bit slow, yet these are all minor flaws compared with the overall impact of the film, a monster film with brains. I loved it and keep waiting for a DVD release, with as much restored footage as possible, since I've heard rumours over the years of truncated production and post-production meddling by the studio. Heaven knows if these are true, but in any case the film deserves better treatment and a wider showing, if only to acknowledge Mann's ambitious attempt.