The Baader Meinhof Complex (2008)
"Der Baader Meinhof Komplex" (original title)

A look at Germany's terrorist group, The Red Army Faction (RAF), which organized bombings, robberies, kidnappings and assassinations in the late 1960s and '70s.

Director:

Uli Edel

Writers:

Bernd Eichinger (screenplay), Uli Edel (screenplay),

Stars:

Martina Gedeck, Moritz Bleibtreu, Johanna Wokalek

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 3 wins & 15 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Martina Gedeck	...	Ulrike Meinhof
Moritz Bleibtreu	...	Andreas Baader
Johanna Wokalek	...	Gudrun Ensslin
Nadja Uhl	...	Brigitte Mohnhaupt
Stipe Erceg	...	Holger Meins
Niels-Bruno Schmidt	...	Jan Carl Raspe (as Niels Bruno Schmidt)
Vinzenz Kiefer	...	Peter-Jürgen Boock
Simon Licht	...	Horst Mahler
Alexandra Maria Lara	...	Petra Schelm
Daniel Lommatzsch	...	Christian Klar
Sebastian Blomberg	...	Rudi Dutschke
Heino Ferch	...	Horst Herold Assistant
Jan Josef Liefers	...	Peter Homann
Hannah Herzsprung	...	Susanne Albrecht
Tom Schilling	...	Josef Bachmann

Storyline

Germany in the 1970s: Murderous bomb attacks, the threat of terrorism and the fear of the enemy inside are rocking the very foundations of the yet fragile German democracy. The radicalised children of the Nazi generation lead by Andreas Baader, Ulrike Meinhof and Gudrun Ensslin are fighting a violent war against what they perceive as the new face of fascism: American imperialism supported by the German establishment, many of whom have a Nazi past. Their aim is to create a more human society but by employing inhuman means they not only spread terror and bloodshed, they also lose their own humanity. The man who understands them is also their hunter: the head of the German police force Horst Herold. And while he succeeds in his relentless pursuit of the young terrorists, he knows he's only dealing with the tip of the iceberg.

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Plot Keywords:

terrorist | police | 1970s | robbery | terrorism | 

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Taglines:

The children of the Nazi generation vowed fascism would never rule their world again.

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Genres:

Action | Biography | Crime | Drama | History

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong bloody violence, disturbing images, sexual content, graphic nudity and language

Details

Official Sites:

Metropolitan Films [France] Official site [Germany]

Country:

Germany France Czech Republic

Language:

German English French Swedish

Release Date:

25 September 2008 (Germany)

Also Known As:

The Baader Meinhof Complex

Filming Locations:

Bavaria-Ateliers, Geiselgasteig, Grünwald, Bavaria, Germany

Box Office

Budget:

€20,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$17,348 (USA) (21 August 2009)

Gross:

$476,270 (USA) (4 December 2009)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Constantin Film Produktion, Nouvelles Éditions de Films (NEF), G.T. Film Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

150 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby SR Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ex-terrorist Brigitte Mohnhaupt, who was released on probation in the spring of 2008 after 24 years in jail, took the production company Constantin to court for the sex scene, demanding that it be deleted. A Hamburg court dismissed the suit in December 2008.

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Goofs

During the scene at the Palestinian training camp when the Germans were reprimanded for sunbathing on the rooftop, there is a discontinuity regarding the sunglasses worn by actress Nadja Uhl. During the close-ups, the actress who can be seen standing at the right foreground appears to wearing the sunglasses. When the camera zooms out, she is not wearing the sunglasses but holding them at her hips instead. Yet when the camera switches back to the close-up a few seconds later, she is again wearing the sunglasses.

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Quotes

Brigitte Mohnhaupt: Stop seeing them the way they weren't.

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Connections

Referenced in Making of 'Süsse Stuten 7' (2010)

User Reviews

Mixed emotions

The movie of Edel and Eichinger is fine when it comes to sets and costumes. It seems to catch the mood of the late Sixties and Seventies very well. Also the lead actors Bleibtreu, Wokalek and Gedeck have delivered outstanding performances. Too bad, that they don't get a chance to really explore their characters: Too much else is going on in this movie, that completely loses its focus during the last hour. The closer we get to the end, the more it resembles a documentary with a few scenes of play cut in now and then.

The viewer is presented with a lot of facts - and violence - but the movie fails in decoding the often cited "myth" of the RAF. For example, I've always wondered, whether Baader was just a criminal or really politically motivated. Well, in the first half of the movie, Baader is portrayed as an outlaw, who enjoys provocation and fast cars. Later he delivers sophisticated political statements. A good movie should at least try to explain this development. DER BAADER MEINHOF KOMPLEX doesn't.