Das Schweigende Klassenzimmer is based on the real-life events of a class in East Germany in 1956 that decided to dedicate two minutes of silence as an act of support to the Hungarian uprising. This causes a massive reaction and the situation soon gets out of control.
It is a thought-provoking and eye-opening movie, as it brings to light a rather unknown or forgotten part of history, though it could have pushed even more towards that direction. Instead, it tries to take a more entertaining approach by simplyfying the socio-political commentary and balancing it with the dramatic elements. Also, the villains are one-dimensional and never get any proper development.
It is a thought-provoking and eye-opening movie, as it brings to light a rather unknown or forgotten part of history, though it could have pushed even more towards that direction. Instead, it tries to take a more entertaining approach by simplyfying the socio-political commentary and balancing it with the dramatic elements. Also, the villains are one-dimensional and never get any proper development.