One Line Review: Despite the fact that it took them 5-6 years to get the story right, it fails to make an impression.
Youtube Trailer Je Suis Karl
Starring: Luna Wedler, Jannis Niewöhner
Director: Christian Schwochow
Release Date: 16 September 2021
Introduction
On Netflix, you can now watch Je Suis Karl, a German thriller starring Luna Wedler and Jannis Niewöhner, as well as Milan Peschel, Elizaveta Maximova, Marlon Boess, Veronika Bellova, and Aziz Dyab, in its entirety. The film, directed by Christian Schwochow and written by Thomas Wendrich, had its world premiere at the 71st Berlin International Film Festival in September.
The plot synopsis reads as follows
After the majority of her family is murdered in a terrorist bombing, a young woman is unwittingly drawn into joining the very group that murdered them.
The film’s opening sequences depict a couple, Alex (Milan Peschel) and Ines (Melanie Fouche), who is assisting a refugee named Yusuf and transporting him to Berlin. Writer Thomas Wendrich and director Christian Schwochow give us the impression that the couple sympathizes with all refugees, regardless of their religious beliefs or affiliations. Just a few minutes into the film, an explosion in Alex’s building results in the deaths of his wife Ines, his two young sons, and seven other building residents.
Alex and his daughter Maxi (Luna Wedler) are unharmed because they were not in the building at the time of the explosion. The suspenseful beginning keeps you on the edge of your seat as you anticipate what is going to happen next. Alex and Maxi are both dealing with the trauma of losing a loved one but in different ways. Maxi is approached by Karl (Jannis Niewöhner), a handsome stranger who invites her to attend his prestigious academy. As her relationship with Alex begins to deteriorate, she decides to join Karl without telling her father.
After a while, we learn that Karl and his’ rebellious’ group are in charge of the ‘Re/Generation Europe’ movement, which they founded. They want to take control of Europe, and they believe they have the power to do so because they are the future. Karl is nothing more than a young face spreading fascist ideology, which Maxi is completely unaware of. Unfortunately, behind those loud and bold speeches, powerful songs, and bizarre public events, Karl is simply a young face spreading fascist ideology, which Maxi is unaware of. She unwittingly becomes a member of a movement whose ideologies her parents were opposed to! So, what will Alex do when he discovers what his daughter has gotten herself into this time? The film doesn’t bother to provide a satisfactory response.
Great start to the series
The first 45 minutes of Je Suis Karl are engrossing, and the film makes a great deal of logical sense. However, as soon as the narrative shifts to the Re/Generation Europe section, it becomes weak and jumbled. Thomas Wendrich could’ve shown us the modern neo-Nazi side of the story without adding too much drama, a love story, or over-the-top music concerts to the picture. I eventually stopped caring about Maxi-Alex and their tragic loss because the film’s creators focused solely on Karl and his exploits at that point in time. To be completely honest, he was a chatty guy with good looks who was proud of his fascist ideologies and beliefs. As a result, I didn’t pay much attention to him either.
Has some real life references to it
Although Je Suis Karl Netflix is a work of fiction, Christian Schwochow stated in an interview that he researched real-life stories in order to present it to the audience in the way that it is currently presented. The author explained that after creating NSU, they discovered that there was more material available and that there is a shift in the far-right movement, particularly among young people. They are no longer skinheads, although they do, of course, still exist; instead, there is a new generation of young fascists who are on the rise and becoming more numerous throughout Europe.”
Final Thoughts on the Film “Je Suis Karl”
Despite the fact that it took them 5-6 years to get the story right, it fails to make an impression. The last 30 minutes are completely illogical and lead us to a chaotic conclusion.
