Being aged, knowing most about the R.A.F story from the news when it happened (1970s) including the events in 1968 (Berlin, Prague , Mexico , U.S.A.) I am much more disappointed in this " big production' on a major theme in post war German (European) history, than most other critics up till now. If you know little or nothing about the subject, like many younger people, this may seem a " cool movie". Just as an action pic, you're right. However, what I miss, is the ideological context in which all this was happening. There is some mention of sectarian leftist groups, we see major mass protests of university students, etc. And the starting scenes in Berlin (visit of Sjah) are the main " background" to the " movement". (by the way, how many under 30 people knew about the Sjah of Persia, anyway? I even remember first spouse Soraya from the early 60's...). What I miss, is , an explanation of what and how on the mass student meetings, they are just shown. Also missing are the deeper context of postwar BRD (Germany) not having come to terms with the Nazi past, especially in the situation of many former NSDAP - symp's having high places in society, government, industry, etc. As I remember, that was one of the main frustrations in leftist circles ( and not only there...). Etcetera. In this respect, seeing the first gen. members of R.A.F. speeding to an unexplained action in BMW's on the " autobahn" as if they were fun-cruising L.A. in a Tarantino muscle-car flic while having My Generation by the Who on the stereo this all is quite unbelievable for people informed about that era. I don't believe these guys were jet-set-emulators. Jet-set was capitalist and thus their opposite social stratum. Which they fought , with all fatal results. And, why the story ending with the death of the first four, how shocking it may be? This whole episode is too much for one movie. As a Dutch proverb says: " they took too much hay on their fork". (meaning the makers of B.M. Komplex). genomen".
Review of The Baader Meinhof Complex
