Antikörper (2005)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Christian Alvart

Writer:

Christian Alvart (writer)

Release Date:

7 July 2005 (Germany)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Das Gute ist das Böse daran. [The Good is the Evil in It.]

Plot:

Long wanted serial killer Gabriel Engel gets arrested in a spectacular police strike. Small town cop...

Plot Keywords:

Police | Murder | Serial Killer | Rooftop | Prayer

Awards:

6 wins

Cast

Norman Reedus	...	Polizist Schmitz
Christian von Aster	...	Polizist Wagner
André Hennicke	...	Gabriel Engel
Waltraud Witte	...	Frau Hering
Konstantin Graudus	...	Wosniak
Heinz Hoenig	...	Seiler
Wotan Wilke Möhring	...	Michael Martens
Ulrike Krumbiegel	...	Rosa Martens
Hauke Diekamp	...	Christan Martens
Jürgen Schornagel	...	Sucharzewski
Gudrun Ritter	...	Frau Sucharzewski
Laura Alberta Szalski	...	Sarah Martens
Klaus Zmorek	...	Bosowski
Domenico D'Ambrosio	...	Techniker (Technician)
Holger Franke	...	Karl Prebisch
Jockel Tschiersch	...	Gabhart
Hans Diehl	...	Pfarrer (Priest)
Bruno Grass	...	Frank Flieder
Natascha Paulick	...	Maria Flieder
Frank Kusche	...	Wärter Schmidtzen
Elisa Schrey	...	Anna (Crying Girl)
Edi Samland	...	Esther Gabhart (as Edie Samland)
Stefanie Fuchs	...	Moni
Isabel Bongard	...	Lucia Flieder
Marie Lindner	...	Tamara Gabhart
Dietmar Horst Hedram	...	Junkie
Laila Mohmand	...	Prostituierte
Martin Umbach	...	Psychiater
Holger Reibiger	...	Wärter
Nina Proll	...	Lucy
Nadeshda Brennicke	...	Nachtclub Sängerin
Coco Brown	...	Michelle
Lydia Kavungu	...	Joy
Rainer Laupichler	...	Kneiff
Milton Welsh	...	Fricke
Leonardo Nigro	...	Schnorres
Maria Schuster	...	Meiser
Thomas Klees	...	Verlagsmanager

Directed by
Christian Alvart

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Christian Alvart		writer

Produced by
Christian Alvart	....	co-producer
Theo Baltz	....	producer
Rainer Kölmel	....	co-producer
Susanne Kusche	....	line producer
Boris Schönfelder	....	producer

Original Music by
Michl Britsch

Cinematography by
Hagen Bogdanski

Film Editing by
Philipp Stahl

Casting by
Sabine Frielinghaus

Production Design by
Christian M. Goldbeck

Art Direction by
Eva Stiebler

Costume Design by
Silke Sommer

Makeup Department
Tamar Aviv	....	special makeup effects artist
Barney Nikolic	....	special makeup effects artist (as Branimir Nikolic)
Dennis Penkov	....	special makeup effects artist
Annett Schulze	....	makeup department head

Production Management
Susanne Kusche	....	production manager
Tolke Palm	....	assistant production manager
Holger Reibiger	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Stefanie Fuchs	....	trainee assistant director
Bruno Grass	....	assistant director

Art Department
Tom Bewermeier	....	assistant property master
Lars Dicht	....	construction manager
Johannes Pfaller	....	property master
Jan Saße	....	storyboard artist
Monica Suarez	....	assistant production designer
Monica Suarez	....	graphic designer
Otu Tetteh	....	painter

Sound Department
Jerome Burkhard	....	sound
Jürgen Funk	....	sound designer
Michael Hinreiner	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Volker Lorig	....	special effects technician
Christoph von Lengerke	....	pyrotechnician
Christoph von Lengerke	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
David Laubsch	....	digital compositor
Lutz Lemke	....	title sequence design/animation
Udo Schlörmann	....	digital compositor
Sheldon Stopsack	....	digital effects artist

Stunts
Jason Oettle	....	key stunt rigger
Rene Schobes	....	stunt double: Andre Hennicke
Rainer Werner	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Markus Görgens	....	assistant electrician
Nicolay Gutscher	....	assistant camera
Robert Patzelt	....	Steadicam operator
Robert Patzelt	....	director of photography: second unit
Simon Rainer	....	additional electrician
Teja Schwede	....	second assistant camera

Editorial Department
Volker Langholz	....	editor trainee

Transportation Department
Miklas Wittmann	....	cast & production driver

Other crew
Frank Kusche	....	set manager
Thomas Stuber	....	script supervisor

Thanks
Nadeshda Brennicke	....	thanks
Christine Neubauer	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Kinowelt Filmproduktion
• MedienKontor Movie GmbH

Distributors

• Dark Sky Films (2007) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Kinowelt Filmverleih (2005) (Germany) (theatrical)
• La Fabrique de Films (2006) (France) (theatrical)
• Luna Filmverleih GmbH (2005) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Rialto Film AG (2005) (Switzerland) (theatrical) (German speaking region)
• Tartan Films (2006) (UK) (theatrical)
• Dark Sky Films (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• La Fabrique de Films (2006) (France) (all media)
• Palisades-Tartan Acquisitions (2008) (UK) (DVD)
• Pro 7 (2008) (Germany) (TV)
• Versus Entertainment (2006) (Spain) (all media)

Special Effects

• Ambient Entertainment GmbH (CGI)

Other Companies

• Mo Pictures  trailer
• Vantage Film GmbH  camera equipment provided by

Also Known As:

Antibodies (International: English title)
Antimatter (International: English title)

Runtime:

127 min

Country:

Germany

Language:

German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:18 | France:-12 | Ireland:18 | Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Bahnhof Zoologischer Garten, Berlin, Germany

Company:

Kinowelt Filmproduktion

Trivia:

Norman Reedus performed his cameo role for free.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Polizist Schmitz: The world is unfair. Even to people like us. Pedro Alonso Lopez committed 300 sex murders. Now, 20 years later, who remembers him? Not a soul. Jack the Ripper is world-famous, and for what? Five bitches. Five! And Charley Manson. The hippie they called "Our Emperor" didn't even commit one murder himself.

Movie Connections:

References Manhunter (1986)

Soundtrack:

Unique

Top-notch psychological horror from Germany.

"Antikörper" is a tremendously entertaining, gripping and chilling serial killer movie directed by relative newcomer Christian Alvart. From the superb, edge-of-the-seat introduction and the inventive use of credits, the film is imaginative, brave and unpredictable.

While there are shades of "Silence of the Lambs" in this film (interestingly, there's even a throw-away comment about Hannibal Lecter as if the director was aware of the similarities in storyline and decided to confront this matter head-on), "Antikörper" is a much more realistic, character-driven piece. André Hennicke is genuinely frightening as the paedophile serial killer, Engel, who embarks on psychological mind games with the likable, country-based policeman, Wotan Wilke Möhring. Möhring's portrayal of a man who is driven to the edge of his wits is brilliant stuff and riveting viewing.

The film is undoubtedly a roller-coaster ride of emotions. There are some uncomfortable scenes (Engel makes Lecter look like Father Christmas in comparison) but they rely on the viewer's imagination rather than in-your-face gore. There are also some brief but realistic sex scenes that drive the plot along rather than serve as mere titillation. The film's strength is in its intelligence. This is not your average serial killer movie by a long way. It raises interesting moral questions such as "Just how good is a 'good man?'" I was surprised to see Norman Reedus appear in a small role in this film. Why Reedus was brought in for such a small part is puzzling but it was good to see this distinctive American actor nonetheless.

A highly recommended movie and one I'm glad to have stumbled across by accident. This is one of those film you may never have heard of but which you'll be very glad you watched.