BlazeLime
Strong and Moving!
SpuffyWeb
Sadly Over-hyped
Nonureva
Really Surprised!
Nicole
I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.
Tom Dooley
Based on the true story of a young Public Prosecutor from Frankfurt named Johann Radmann (Alexander Fehling – 'Inglorious Basterds'). He encounters a survivor of Auschwitz and a journalist who want to bring the perpetrators of the atrocities that took place there to trial. The problem is that Germany seems to not want to rake over the coals of the past and there are former Nazi's everywhere who just don't care.What follows are the travails he and his friends go through in order to do something, try to build a case and wake the German people from their wilful apathy towards the war. We also have his personal life and that of those around him and who are swept up in the investigation.This is an extremely well made film, the story is completely gripping and I loved the period detail too. It does not sugar coat what took place but is also not horrific in terms of the graphic abuse that sadly occurred, especially at the hands of Mengele and co. It is very moving in places and features some truly excellent performances especially Fehling and his love interest Friedrike Becht ('Hannah Arendt')who plays Marlene – it is in German with very good subtitles and runs for 123 minutes and is one that is very easy to recommend indeed.
Fella_shibby
Good movie but was slow at times. Beautiful cinematography with good acting by the lead. Was lil tough to watch at times especially the narration by the survivors of the holocaust. Basically its a post holocaust movie. Nowhere close to Justice at Nuremberg but a good attempt. The movie shud hav focused more on the trial n more on the psychology of the perpetrators/Nazis. Instead it became more of an investigation/procedural film. The movies length was a bit short for such an important subject. The story is fascinating. The scene where they narrate how a small boy with an apple was smashed against a wall by a nazi, made my eyes tearful. I was surprised at the widespread ignorance about the holocaust in Germany jus one generation aft the war. It's directed by Giulio Ricciarelli. He did a good job considering this is his first full length film. Good acting by the lead actor Alexander Fehling (Inglorius basterds,Homeland-TV series)
Mike B
This is definitely one of the more powerful holocaust films. It doesn't have any visual images of the holocaust. It's about the aftermath. To bring the perpetrators on trial, the effects on a Germany (or West Germany) in total denial, of the children of the Nazi era and their latent guilt of what their parents may have done or did. One feels what it was to grow up German during this period of the late 1950's.It's very emotional performance by Alexander Fehling. We feel his anguish as he learns the scale of his country's complicity of what happened – and his anger and frustration at the lies to circumvent it all. And this is told at the personal level – it is individuals whose lives were shattered and it is individuals who did the destroying.Unique and impressive.
s3276169
Labyrinth of Lies is an insight into the price of silence and denial.The silence in this case surrounds the atrocities committed by ordinary people at Auschwitz concentration camp during World War II. The silence is an enforced one where people who dare raise their voice in opposition face denial and even condemnation. The team of German lawyers operating out of what was, at the time, West Germany, face silent opposition that extends to people within the criminal justice system. Their efforts to investigate the Auschwitz war crimes meet with objections that, typically, try to explain away the atrocities as an unfortunate by product of war, that should be forgotten. This film is based on a true story and its worth noting up front its a harrowing watch. Much of what you hear will stay with you long after the film has ended. That said, it also affirms the need for us all to refuse to stay silent in the face of hatred and political extremism. Its a very relevant film too, because many of the political and racial attitudes found in this film don't go away. Indeed, as we are seeing today, systems of apartheid and Fascism are still very much in currency. This film is in German so it does have subs. That said, its so capably directed, the acting of such a high standard and its subject presented in such a simple but deeply moving manner, that this really does not matter. A superb film everyone should see. Ten out of ten from me.