The Princess and the Warrior (2000) User Reviews

Tykwer's "make-or-break" is a "make", but an uneasy one.

[matzucker · 7/10 · 12 October 2000]

Only a fool would expect this to be a second Run Lola Run. But unfortunately, there will be a lot of fools out there: This won't be the hit that Tykwer's former film was. And, just to say that: Run Lola Run still plays in a higher league.

But that's, of course, not to say that The Princess And The Warrior is a bad movie. Quite the contrary: there should be more films like this one. It's slow at times, yes, but to the ones with keen eyes it's meditative. It's metaphysical, in the end even surreal, it's down-to-earth, but at the same time very outlandish, it's a love story, but without the usual assets: there's no kissing, let alone sex; yes, even holding hands just occurs for a second. It's about a spiritual love, something epic, as the title suggests.

Many people won't like it; far too few people will love it. And I'm somewhere in between: It's a bold movie to make, especially in the dull (to be polite) movie scene of Germany, and a good one, too. Something refreshingly different (and wonderfully written, directed, shot and acted, I might add...). But somehow, you can't help feeling just a little disappointed after the milestone of modern film making that Tom Tykwer released two years ago.

8 out of 10.

My 1st Tykwer Experience

[VWaltz77 · 8/10 · 17 June 2003]

This film was playing in our little theater here, as part of the Beyond Normal Films promotion about a year & a half ago. I must say that before then, I had never heard of Tom Tykwer.

Since then, he has become 1 of my favorite writers & directors. I immediately went out & got the highly acclaimed *Lola rennt* & I must say that I was very impressed. I also got to check out his most recent film *Heaven* as part of this year's Beyond Normal ticket; I LOVED it.

If you are not familiar with Tykwer's work, I would suggest you start with *Der Krieger.* The story has several elements that almost everyone will enjoy & although the story may be a little slow in a few parts, it is nonetheless, interesting. It is not really a film for kids though.

I was once a little intimidated by films in a language I could not understand (German, for instance). There were several times that I did not even have to read the subtitles to know what was going on, it was great & even a little inspiring to me for wanting to learn some German (Danke schön, Tom). I encourage you all to check this flick out if you have not yet.

My rating: 8/10

The Princess And The Warrior ***

[Bunuel1976 · 7/10 · 23 February 2006]

Having loved Tykwer's impressively energetic RUN, LOLA, RUN (1998), I was really looking forward to watching his follow-up feature but, somehow, I never managed it until now (I did get to watch his subsequent film, HEAVEN [2002]). Thankfully, it was worth the wait and the result is almost as good. While the film is long and often rambles on rather aimlessly, it is never boring and, at times, disarmingly inventive and emotional; the leading players, especially the enchanting Franka Potente, have a lot to do with the latter quality. THE PRINCESS AND THE WARRIOR's main themes are matters of chance and fate but it also features an elaborate bank robbery and a long stretch of it takes place in an insane asylum (where Potente practices some unorthodox therapy on a couple of her patients) which is not too far removed from the one seen in ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST (1975).

This existential fairy tale is devastatingly beautiful

[FargoUT · 10/10 · 13 May 2004]

"The Princess and the Warrior" moves at a leisurely pace, nowadays commonly mistaken for slow or plodding. It is the pacing antithesis of "Run Lola Run", yet in remarkable ways, covers the same thematic ground. Tykwer takes Krzysztof Kieslowski's favorite themes (fate, chance, destiny) and tells one of the most uplifting existentialist tales I've ever seen on film. Poetic in its visceral impacts, heartbreaking in its emotional force, "The Princess and the Warrior" achieves an astonishing level of humanity which very few films ever strive to attain.

As a result, "The Princess and the Warrior" becomes the jewel in the crown of Tykwer's filmic repertoire. With Franka Potente as the emotionally-reserved Sissi and Benno Furmann as the jaded Bodo, Tykwer has created two opposites who are fated to attract. Unlike Hollywood, however, there are no magical forces at work, no clever "Meet Cute". It is very conceivable that these two could have never met, and only due to Bodo's criminal actions do they meet. Is it fate or coincidence that Bodo's run in with the law causes a run in with Sissi? Their interactions are quiet with bursts of trauma, their eyes do most of the talking. Tykwer seems to suggest that Bodo and Sissi's entire existence is to affirm each other's life.

Tykwer has crafted a psychological exploration of two misguided souls looking for an escape from their lives. Stuck in perpetual repetition, Sissi and Bodo live without living, searching for some meaning but incapable of doing so or, even more sorrowful, rejecting whatever is presented to them. This is not a "Pretty Woman" clone but an honestly reaffirming look at two unhappy individuals finding what they so desperately need in each other. Bodo and Sissi's relationship of awkward meetings, misconceptions, and soul-binding metaphysical connections culminates in what I can only describe as one of the most impactful and emotional climaxes in all of film history--period.

Kudos to Tykwer for creating one of the most romantic and spiritually-fulfilling films I've ever seen. A perfect and necessary viewing experience for anyone feeling stuck in the mundane routine of life, thrilling, suspenseful, almost painfully aware of what it feels like to be emotionally and spiritually lost. "The Princess and the Warrior" upholds the optimistic idea that even when things go bad, life is still worth living, if only to help someone else. It is, in my opinion, one of the finest motion pictures ever made.

I´m missing the words...

[stefanhoeffllin · 10/10 · 14 October 2000]

There´s Bodo. There´s Sissy. They don´t know each other. A accident happens. Bodo rescues Sissy´s life. Then he disappears. She tries to find him. Will they have a chance?

Sometimes it´s hard to find words to describe a movie. It´s an unusual love story, a melodramatic thriller, that is sometimes disturbing, too - especially the scenes in the psychiatry, where Sissy works as a nurse - and with hypnotizing music (which sometimes reminds you of "Lola rennt" and "Winterschläfer"). Director Tom Tykwer shows again that he can tell stories with heart and soul. There are characters you really care for. Especially Benno Fürmanns performance touched me deeply. I could really feel the pain he´s going trough. And of course Franka Potente. I was on her side when she was desperately fighting for Bodo´s love.

Probably the best german film this year, I can highly recommend it. Watch and FEEL it!!!

Stylish and Slick

[michaeldgibson · 25 September 2004]

'Der Krieger und de Kaiserin' (2000), translated as 'The Princess and Warrior' is brought to our screens by 'Run Lola Run' director, Tom Tykwer. For myself 'Run Lola Run' was an excellent film, and i would say that this film is good in its own way. Looking at this film in comparison with Tykwer's previous debute, it doesn't have the same energy rush or rythmic motivational feel to it. However, we have to bear in mind that this is a different film entirly and audiences of 'Run Lola Run' are possibly full of predertermined expectations of Tykwer's new film, based on the previous.

This film is stylish, if not more stylish than than 'Run Lola Run', despite being quite slow moving, it does make you feel 'locked' to see the film through to the end. This film is a captivating experience which will exhilarate and 'move' you in the quest for Sissi's (Franke Potente (Run Lola Run)) survival and then her quest to seek out Bono and help him to the end.

OK, maybe not the 'complexist' of story lines, but it works, and is good.

This is a enigmatic love story, and really if your more inclined to a Hollywood, big-budget, huge special effects etc film, then maybe this isn't the one for you. Personally, this is a slick (the film-making), stylish, captivating film and i would recommend it to anyone who likes a 'visual' film (i know that sounds mad, but e.g. very visual and superb camera angles etc)!

See it before you buy it, because it might not be your cup of tea!

8/10

Weird Romance with a Flawed Screenplay

[claudio_carvalho · 6/10 · 5 February 2011]

The lonely nurse Simone "Sissi" Schmidt (Franka Potente) spends her life with the interns and colleagues at the Birkenhof mental institution where she works. One day, a friend of Sissi from overseas asks her to go the bank to check her inheritance that is in a safe and Sissi goes to the city with a blind patient. Meanwhile the smalltime crook Bodo Riemer (Benno Fürmann) is chased by two men that he had robbed and he provokes an accident. Consequently a truck runs over Sissi while she is crossing the street and Sissi lies under the truck, but she can not breathe. Bodo helps her with a tracheotomy and she becomes infatuated with the guy. Fifty-three days later, she is discharged from the hospital and she seeks out Bodo. However Bodo has a severe trauma from the past and rejects Sissi. Further, Bodo and his brother Walter Riemer (Joachim Król) are planning heist the bank where Walter works. However their lives entwine again when Sissi arrives at the bank where Bodo and Walter are robbing.

"Der Krieger und die Kaiserin" is a weird romance, with an unconventional love story and bizarre characters. However, Bodo is an unlikable character; the shallow screenplay has many flaws and is too long; and the film is boring in many moments. The masturbation scene is silly; there is no explanation why Bodo had background to perform a tracheotomy; the insistence of Sissi in visiting Bodo is annoying; and the participation of Sissi in the heist is ridiculous, and to open a safe in the bank she should have provided her personal data to the clerk. The camera work and the soundtrack are excellent. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "A Princesa e o Guerreiro" ("The Princess and the Warrior")

Stop Lola Stop

[panicoma-1 · 10/10 · 22 April 2005]

For me, a brilliant movie. There is so much of it, and any holes were not apparent at first viewing. But if it is not universally acclaimed, no-one is at fault. There's much magic in the hands of this director-writer. The casting is perfect; original in looks and body language, Furmann and Potente grace a modern fairy tale that says, well, something about fate, leaving the past behind, finding what you want right under your nose etc. All the old true clichés. This time, told with exquisite pace (slow), and beauty. A couple of shatteringly good scenes, well thought out, plotted and executed, all rounded out with a black humour and tender touch that keeps it CLEAR of pretension. The ending leaves a poignant, puzzled smile and an appetite for more German cinema. If you don't like this you must be a Van Damme fan.

More (yawn) Tykwer.

[=G= · 6/10 · 30 January 2002]

Critics seem to just love it when some director puts together a film which is artsy, inventive, and creative. Forget about a story and people with whom the audience can empathize. And so, many a critic raved about this artful and unique shoot in which Tykwer creates peculiarity for the sake of peculiarity, appears to make the story up as he goes, and gives us characters we could care less about. All sizzle and no steak, you'll be hard pressed to find even a metaphor for a princess in this art-for-art's-sake flick. Recommended for film critics and others into artsy Europics.

Simply beautiful - Kieslowski in magnificent colors

[balderk · 10/10 · 26 January 2005]

Now, there was a pleasant Sunday evening.

I never got around to seeing it in the theaters, but just caught it by accident on tele, and even from the start. And it works perfectly on that media as well.

It is a rarely beautiful tale told in so few words, that tell so much. It is little wonder that Tykwer got to make Heaven (a script left by Kieslowski). Few has ever described the love between man and woman so catchingly and so real in so not so extraordinary circumstances. And these are the stories that sticks.

And Tykwer also always seems to get the music right, notice the elegance of the end-title number "You can't find peace" by Pale 3 feat. Skin. Thankfully they still show end-titles now and then on danish television.

There's lot more to write, but the morning a another day at work grows frightfully close.

This will be a fond memory.

Slightly overrated

[TucsonVegan · 7/10 · 22 July 2001]

After reading the rave review in my local rag, I was excited to see this film. Unfortunately, I found myself looking at my watch more than 3 times during the film which was definitely too long. Too many plot lines took much longer than necessary to flesh out. I wanted to like this more than "Lola" but alas it was not meant to be.

As good or better than LOLA

[coagula · 10/10 · 28 December 2004]

This is a rich, layered film with characters behaving in believable, realistic manners. There are no holes I could find anywhere in the film, and no clichés either. A fresh script that revisits the CUCKOOS NEST asylum setting with a woman as the anti-McMurphy - she is employed there but thinks it may be time to leave.

The man she encounters in a harrowing little moment underneath a semitruck is the trigger that allows her to confront the life she has in comparison to the one she may want. But the only way she can know for sure is to meet up with this stranger once again.

Coincidence as a theme plays heavily in this director's oeuvre (Lola was based entirely on the premise of what is needed for no coincidences to have occurred). But the plot is much deeper after initial relationships are laid out.

Rather dull movie from the Lola Rennt director

[PatrynXX · 6/10 · 7 June 2002]

Don't get me wrong. Its a decent story. But not enough to get me to buy the dvd. Thank god for the expanding universe of online rental plans. It wouldn't surprise me that half the movies I rent.. I wont find at Blockbuster. (maybe Family Video)

But Lola Rennt was exciting while this movie is too slow. The director is still a goody. But without a decent script... this movie may be too slow for alot of folks. And that trade off between the guy and himself. Confuses me. Even while listening to the directors commentary on that scene... it confuses me.

6/10

Quality: 8/10 Entertainment: 2/10 Replayable: 2/10

Truly disappointing follow-up

[sacrelicious89 · 3/10 · 27 August 2002]

I am truly shocked at the positive reviews this movie has recieved. like everyone else who enjoyed Ron Lola, Run, I went into the theater expecting something that was truly original in concept and style, and masterful in execution. I walked out having witnessed a hodge-podge of cliches, that was clearly the result of a troubled script and sophmore jitters on the part of the director. it was obvious that he couldn't decide what he wanted this movie to be about, and as a result it ended up being very disjointed.

it could have been a great romance. it could have been a great story about life in a psychiatric facility. it could have been a great story about someone who has been taken out of her normal life and made to enure in exceptional circumstances. it could have been a great heist film. it could have been a great action film. it could have been a great combination of a few, but not all, of those afor-mentioned genres, but instead it tried to be all of it, and there was no effort made to blend it together well.

one scene in particular really bugged me. so as not to spoil it, let's call it the "cliche'd action movie roof thing" or CAMRT for short. I've seen a CAMRT just like that in about twenty movies prior to seeing this, and I am nothing short of amazed that such a promising director could be so lazy as to recycle something like this!

even Franke Potente turned in a sub-standard performance. why did we all fall in love with her in RL,R? because she was strong, independant, clever, and with a soft and vulnerable side as well. she was interesting to watch, and it was interesting to hear her talk. her role in this could have been played by a cardboard cut-out! she was bland, and entirely un-interesting, and merely drifted through the film.

about the only thing I liked about this piece of tripe was the ending. that was rather clever.

Methodically beautiful imagery, story and characters- a gorgeous film

[wootemi · 3 May 2004]

This is a modern fairy tale, treat and appreciate it as so. The characters are bold, and their actions are representative of who they are than what actual people do. I say this because I noticed every negative review of this film was caught up in looking for realism- there isn't any. The setting may be proposed as so but the method through which the story is told unfolds like a performance piece.

This film is brilliant- stark personalities, dynamic relationships, and a mix of modern, classical, and fanciful direction. The allegorical context is brilliant when mulled over. I would compare it to `Last Tango in Paris'.

Escape From the Valley of Suffocation and Immobility

[two-rivers · 9/10 · 16 November 2000]

Wuppertal is a town that I know well, because, the same as Tom Tykwer, I was born in it and spent my youth there. Like a long tube it extends along the narrow valley of the river Wupper from east to west. It is a fairly big and industrialized city, and, due to the narrowness of the valley, its air is almost unbreathable in times of smog. It is therefore not a surprising fact that there is a high moving rate.

Sissi and Bodo, the empress and the warrior of the title, are also on the move. They try hard to get away from the sickening valley, and this movement of escape is set into relation to their dispiriting life situation: they are struggling to find the exit of that blind alley in which they are reduced to an inactive immobility.

The psychiatric ward, where Sissi works, is a place completely shut off from the outside world. And Sissi does not do much to get way from it: she occupies a little room inside the hospital, and seems satisfied with her role as the inmates' darling and shining light.

It is only by accident that a turnaround of her situation can take place. Or is it destiny? A friend of the past, who has emigrated to the breezy coast of Brittany, asks her to go to the bank in order to settle an inheritance matter. The accident occurs on the way, in the literal sense of the word: Sissi is run over by a tanker, and suddenly finds herself under the vehicle being unable to breathe. In this dramatic situation Bodo, a runaway criminal, comes to her rescue, and executes a life saving tracheotomy on her. Suddenly she can breathe again, as if by pure magic.

But then there is suffocation once again. Once she is back in her ward, she feels overwhelmed by the immobility of her life, in which everything seems determinated from the cradle to the grave, in which no change whatsoever is likely to take place. And in which something terribly great, something tremendously indispensable is sadly missing: You may call it love.

Sissi needs to get out of the ward, out of the dullness of her daily routine. And there is only one exit she can think of: Why shouldn't the warrior, who once ensured her physical survival, also ease her existential pain? For her he is an agent of destiny, the only living creature with the ability to make her breathe again.

She does not see that Bodo is caught in a trap himself. Haunted by the excruciating experience of the violent death of his wife, he is unable to give a new perspective to his life. He therefore ignores the power of fate conjured up by Sissi and rejects her with hurtful vehemence.

The characters are locked up in the standstill of their own lives, and they find it as hard to open that exit door as it is a hard and strenuous way to climb from down in the valley up to the summit of the hill, and to progress from there to a different world.

Bodo lives on the top of the hill, from which he can see the whole town of Wuppertal. But nevertheless his view is limited: he cannot see what is beyond the summit. Sissi, on the other hand, is the driving force that pushes him forward. Again and again she climbs that hill up to him, until she finally gets the just reward. In the end she and Bodo are set free, and they are heading for the coast of Brittany, where at last they will be able to breathe the liberating air of the Atlantic Ocean.

an powerful, atmospheric and twisted take on a love story

[emmaamore · 10/10 · 7 November 2008]

"The Princess and The Warrior" is a dreamy, atmospheric, twisted, (elegantly) awkward and sometimes violent take on a love story. It draws you into its world, captivates you, floats you on its cloud, makes you feel you are there in this alternate universe- a universe you've certainly never experienced before. I've seen many films, perhaps even hundreds, but never have I seen a film quite like this. It truly was like entering another universe only Tykwer himself could have though up... And a surreal one at that. And yet, unlike most 'surreal' films, it is human enough so that you, too, feel and move with the characters. It had me bawling at its profound beauty during one instance.

This, like the infamous "AMELIE", is one of those romance films where everything is to be felt, rather than visualized. By this, I mean that, like "Amelie", "The Princess and The Warrior" displays very little of what every other 'romance' film feels the need to do... There is little (if not any... but I'll let you watch the film to find out) touching, kissing, sex etc. And yet, this somehow makes it all the more effective, and ultimately, one of the most heart-wrenchingly romantic films I've ever seen.

This is no trendy, action-packed 'Run Lola Run'. It is certainly stylized as all of Tykwer's films (that I've seen) are, but less blatantly and pretentiously so. But even though many were disappointed at it not being another version of Run Lola Run, I personally found 'The Princess and The Warrior' to be much more of an evolved film... perhaps a bit slower, but much smarter, more profound, and ultimately a film that gets down to the core of your bones and leaves a lasting imprint. At least for me, anyway.

a pretty cool movie

[Iniquitous · 7/10 · 13 September 2003]

If you described the plot to me in summary, I would probably not have been interested in seeing this movie, but it was on some movie station in the middle of the night and I started watching it simply because it was in German (if it's on cable and it's not dubbed, someone must think it's good). The plot is pretty flaky, but the characters are strange and appealing enough to make you care about what happens to them and curious to find out how the story is going to end.

I previously rated this movie a 9 just to get people to give it a chance, but years later I feel I must revise that lofty ranking.

I just this movie to be a solid 7.

Entrancing and unique story

[MovieSonic · 9/10 · 24 January 2015]

I thoroughly enjoyed this film. I'm not entirely sure that I can explain why but essentially, I think the reason is that the film makers managed to do something different with the plot, music and overall production quality, and transformed what may have otherwise been an ordinary script and film, into something unique and interesting.

If you watch while checking messages on your phone then you won't get the full experience of being completely sucked into the story whether or not you fully understand why.

I've been a fan of Franka Potente since watching Lola Rennt (1998), an epic film, and she completely transforms herself here. She and Benno Fürmann have fantastic on-screen chemistry and every scene is engaging. Many of them provide an unexpected yet highly subtle twist.

I don't want to talk about the plot because it's better to just watch. Nothing extraordinary happened and yet, I feel like I've watched a rare, genuinely interesting and unique creation. Even the ending, which I won't discuss at length, was weird but fitting and completely different to anything I've seen.

I don't really have any criticisms, nothing to speak of anyway.

It's an easy recommendation.

9/10

very interesting until it runs off the rails at the end

[cherold · 7/10 · 15 December 2007]

The first three-fourths of this movie is absolutely fascinating. It moves along seamlessly, hovering somewhere between reality and dream logic. The characters are fascinating and rather tragic, although the movie doesn't allow you to connect with them particularly.

And then, well, something happens. A bunch of stuff is just sort of tossed in, weird plot points that come out of nowhere and the balance between fantasy and reality shifts radically to just plain nonsensical. The ending was particularly odd and unsatisfying. The movie neither ties things up nicely nor leaves you with an interesting ambiguity, it's more like it just sort of hiccups a few times and then just trails off to nothing.

Still worth watching though.

Richly-textured and deeply satisfying

[robert-temple-1 · 10/10 · 10 December 2011]

Tom Tykwer is certainly one of the most imaginative and creative film makers in the world today. He wrote and directed this one two years after his famous RUN LOLA RUN (1998) with the same star, the mesmerising Franka Potente. This one is set in his home town of Wuppertal, Germany. Miss Potente, as usual, is very potent indeed, so potent in fact that one is entirely spellbound just watching her to see what she will do next. This film is so unpredictable, so complex, so mysterious, that it might be described as 'Symbolist' (see Paul Valéry's essay 'The Existence of Symbolism' which he wrote in 1936). If I had been told it had a script by Stéphane Mallarmé, I would believe it. All the events are richly-textured, like a fine cheese which has just turned ripe. Who are all these people, and why do they behave as they do? Potente is a nurse at an insane asylum, but late in the story, when an exasperated Benno Fürmann says she is crazy, she answers with her eerie calmness: 'Natürlich' ('Certainly'). In fact, we discover that she has been working in the asylum for years because her father is an inmate there. What she discovers about the true cause of the death of her mother is part of the surprises. She has long since ceased to be part of the real world. She claims to have been born in the asylum, and it is possible that she was. In any case, the film demonstrates that there are degrees of sanity and insanity, and where you draw the line can be subjective. The film consists of one shocking dramatic moment after another, and there are some frenetic running scenes as well, reminiscent of RUN LOLA RUN. Tykwer seems to love people who run. He also likes people who get soaked in the rain, nearly drown in ponds, get unexpectedly socked in the jaw, chew on glass, get strapped in to stop them committing murder because they have been ordered to do so by a voice which is 'ganz oben' ('of the highest'), and who continually encounter as many extreme situations as possible. Early in the film, Potente is knocked over by a bus and Fürmann saves her life by giving her a tracheotomy, grabbing a straw from a blind man, and inserting it into her chest so she can breathe. She then becomes 'imprinted' on him like a baby duck who thinks he is her mama. This leads to her insistently following him around until he accepts the dictates of Fate that they must be together. To say that all the characters in the film are strange would be an understatement. Underlying the action we have themes like the true nature of love, guilt, fear, redemption, salvation, sanity and insanity, and other 'meaning of life' issues. It makes for a heady mix of surrealist philosophy and action as frantic as that of a Dada manifestation. The directing and cinematography are superb. Everything about this film is utterly fascinating. Tom Tykwer must be even more so.

Difficult follow-up

[Hacki · 7/10 · 15 October 2000]

It is quite difficult for a director to make a new film after producing the best film his country has seen in a decade. Tom Tykwer's "Krieger und Kaiserin" is this follow-up. It is a romantic love-story, that is refreshingly unconventional. If there were more films like Tykwer's latest, it would be easier to criticise. Compared with the mainstream of popular cinema it is wonderful. But at times it is just a little boring, a little too slow. Compare "La fille sur le ponte" with it and you will see, that you can make a similar film that is much more fascinating, due for example to the use of a black and white material.

Oh my God!

[Fizzlefried · 10/10 · 30 July 2003]

There is so much i love about this film i don't want to taint it with my own binal comments.

If you only ever see one film for the rest of your life, make it this one. Also buy the soundtrack. Just Pure cinematic beauty.

Misunderstood?

[FlorianLaur · 7/10 · 28 March 2022]

I must admit, I only watched this movie because I absolutely love the song by Pale 3 (Tom Tykwer's band) and Skin (Skunk Anansie singer). I am from Germany and sadly, the hey days of our movie industry are loooong over (maybe until the late 40s with the exception of "Die Brücke").

However, there was a short renessaince where some decent films were made - the early and late 90s into the 00s. Das Experiment or this movie are an example.

Before I get into what I think others misunderstood or missed, I want to say that I think this movie isn't a masterpiece. But if German film makers have been good at one thing that time, it was to make dialogue-heavy movies that pose a kind of character study. THIS is one such movie and people ought to be aware before they decide to watch it.

Basically, we have 3(4?) key characters: Sissi, a young woman who was born in the asylum where she works. She mentions that her mother comitted suicide (we find out she didn't) and her father is inside the asylum (I presume as a result of the mother's suicide).

This is important, because I think this mirrors the story of Bodo and why Sissi takes such an interest in him.

Bodo. A former Bundeswehrsoldat (soldier), presumably active in the Kosovo conflict. He seems to suffer from PTSD and the seemingly accidental suicide of his wife at a gas station (As we later see that actual scene, I'd say his wife actually killed herself as well).

Steinhofer/Steini: A young man and patient in the asylum. It is never made clear who he really is (he could be the brother of Sissi), but we find out that he killed Sissi's mother.

He calls Sissi "my girl" and shows strong jealousy and possessiveness over her (I assume this is why he killed her mother, he didn't want to share her). He may be her brother, he may not be, I think you have to decide for yourself.

A possible 4th person is the father Sissi mentions. It is strongly implied that he is the mental patient named Dürr who hits Sissi at one point. He claims he receives orders from high above (a possible hint to Sissis mother?)

After Sissi gets hit by a truck, Bodo saves her life (one reviewer says it makes no sense he has the medical skill, but seems to forget his army past), but doesn't seem to care about her. This isn't because he doesn't find her attractive as one reviewer mentioned, it's because after his traumatic experiences, he developed an impenetrable shell to protect himself. This shell shows constant cracks though, every time he is around women (the burial, when he first meets Sissi, second time, etc).

Sissi comes off as naive and like a daydreamer, but I think she starts to see signs that Bodo and her are linked by destiny.

Sissi is able to enter into Bodo's life only when she's at the bank (a friend sent her there to look at her mother's inheritance. It turns out the same woman is the one Bodo buried) and he needs her help to try and save his brother's life.

Sissi has the faith Bodo lacks and as her influence on him strengthens (and people around her sometimes can't handle her drifting further away like Otto and Steini), both of them find the strength together to finally leave their paat behind them.

Sissi can let go of her late mother (even though it is implied she knows she was killed and who did it) and her life has changed. After her encounter with Bodo, she is less and less meek and more and more sure of what she wants: Happiness!

Bodo on the other hand goes the other direction. He allows himself to become more vulnerable with Sissi (which almost costs him his life). It is also implied he killed during his army past and that this might be why he saved Sissi's life, even though it put him at risk of exposure.

The final scene at the gas station and in the car might confuse a few. I see this as Bodo first continuing to carry his past with him (although ironically, his future is literally in the backseat), but finally he takes over the (literal) steering wheel for his life.

Not bad, but much too artificial.

[Genopsycho666 · 5/10 · 17 January 2004]

While other filmmakers like, let's say Julio Medem, effortlessly provide their movies with a metaphysical, bigger-than-life-kind of eeriness, Tom Tykwer stays true to pseudo-philosophical artificiality when it comes to storytelling. Featuring excellent cinematography and surprisingly good performances by the entire cast (even by anti-actor Benno Fürmann), "Der Krieger und die Kaiserin` fails to attract deeper sympathy for the mainly quite unapproachable characters. The direction is somewhat pretentious (a common problem among German films) as well as simply too artificial; the same applies to some of the dialogue. The biggest flaw might be the running time: 130 minutes is just too long, and the movie could have been tightened by omitting some unnecessary sequences. Let me admit, though, that this is still one of the more watchable German films - at least it got this certain cinematic feeling to it which most, if not nearly all German productions lack.