The original "Wave"-story sounds like a modern scary tale for very gullible kids. It is somewhat based on actual events and this movie is based on that story. It's a lot like those urban legends that use the "It really happened"-excuse to tell very improbable horror stories. The absurd plot: With very simple means a group of today's teenagers is turned into "fascists". "Die Welle" doesn't even start to try proving any plausibility, it doesn't give us understandable motivations or logic. It's just selling us it's thesis as a fact - because "It really happened, you know?"
The story of "Die Welle" is much too ridiculous to be told. A teacher is taking a class on autocracy. He asks if such a regime would still be possible. His pupils - quite dysfunctional and egocentric, also quite rich kids - don't think so. He is going to prove them wrong. He starts to build his own autocratic society with them by telling them to stand up before they answer his questions. And they are all like: "Wow! That gives me so much power! I can really breathe deeply!" I kid you not.
He doesn't teach them anything about autocracy, about the historical, political, social context that make it possible. It's all about formalities, about white shirts and sitting pretty (and probably getting grades for it). Of course the - obviously very "special" - pupils don't get their teacher's intention, they don't realize that this is a role play and just try to stay in character. No, they are really into it. In the end things are getting so stupid, it's actually hilariously funny. The growing "evilness" of the Wave, the new Sophie Scholl's "heroic" leaflet campaign ... and the teacher's / leader's big speech. Now - for the first time! - there has to be some content. Will he give us - out of nowhere - an enemy, some hate? Nope. He only delivers some lame clichés about rich people getting richer and a bunch of rich kids go wild applauding the idea that they are going to change this all over "Deutschland!". Totally inane, therefore funny.
How could anybody take this movie seriously? Yet most reviewers do. And that's not funny. Not funny at all. Reading this reviews will tell you the political context of "Die Welle" and it's this context that turns this silly urban legend movie into an annoying piece of political propaganda. It's only one wave in a big sea of similar waves, but if you can't see it for what it is, you're probably drowning right now. No, really, you shouldn't like this junk.
Everyone so devoid of critical thinking that he mistakes advertisement or propaganda for the real thing is very prone to fall victim to any totalitarian scheme. It's the good thing about propaganda that the "hidden" agenda has to be very obvious. So what are we supposed to buy? There is so much fascism in this world. Wearing school uniforms, following orders, working in a concentrated manner, joining groups - all this things will turn you into vicious murderous beasts. Your political and social environment doesn't matter. It can happen all the time, everywhere. It never does, but it could! Be afraid of a phantom menace! It's inside yourself! Be afraid, be very much afraid of yourself!
Calling this scare-mongering left-wing propaganda is as ahistorical as "Die Welle" itself. If you have to watch this bland movie, you should pay attention to the "Wave's" counter-concept. Who benefits from herds of dysfunctional, stereotypical "anarchists"? And for the true believers: The Wave regulations had been totally normal in classrooms all around the globe at least until the 1970s. In many schools they still are. They've turned your ancestors into autocratic drones. I hope you didn't know that. Please consult your local "anarchist".
The story of "Die Welle" is much too ridiculous to be told. A teacher is taking a class on autocracy. He asks if such a regime would still be possible. His pupils - quite dysfunctional and egocentric, also quite rich kids - don't think so. He is going to prove them wrong. He starts to build his own autocratic society with them by telling them to stand up before they answer his questions. And they are all like: "Wow! That gives me so much power! I can really breathe deeply!" I kid you not.
He doesn't teach them anything about autocracy, about the historical, political, social context that make it possible. It's all about formalities, about white shirts and sitting pretty (and probably getting grades for it). Of course the - obviously very "special" - pupils don't get their teacher's intention, they don't realize that this is a role play and just try to stay in character. No, they are really into it. In the end things are getting so stupid, it's actually hilariously funny. The growing "evilness" of the Wave, the new Sophie Scholl's "heroic" leaflet campaign ... and the teacher's / leader's big speech. Now - for the first time! - there has to be some content. Will he give us - out of nowhere - an enemy, some hate? Nope. He only delivers some lame clichés about rich people getting richer and a bunch of rich kids go wild applauding the idea that they are going to change this all over "Deutschland!". Totally inane, therefore funny.
How could anybody take this movie seriously? Yet most reviewers do. And that's not funny. Not funny at all. Reading this reviews will tell you the political context of "Die Welle" and it's this context that turns this silly urban legend movie into an annoying piece of political propaganda. It's only one wave in a big sea of similar waves, but if you can't see it for what it is, you're probably drowning right now. No, really, you shouldn't like this junk.
Everyone so devoid of critical thinking that he mistakes advertisement or propaganda for the real thing is very prone to fall victim to any totalitarian scheme. It's the good thing about propaganda that the "hidden" agenda has to be very obvious. So what are we supposed to buy? There is so much fascism in this world. Wearing school uniforms, following orders, working in a concentrated manner, joining groups - all this things will turn you into vicious murderous beasts. Your political and social environment doesn't matter. It can happen all the time, everywhere. It never does, but it could! Be afraid of a phantom menace! It's inside yourself! Be afraid, be very much afraid of yourself!
Calling this scare-mongering left-wing propaganda is as ahistorical as "Die Welle" itself. If you have to watch this bland movie, you should pay attention to the "Wave's" counter-concept. Who benefits from herds of dysfunctional, stereotypical "anarchists"? And for the true believers: The Wave regulations had been totally normal in classrooms all around the globe at least until the 1970s. In many schools they still are. They've turned your ancestors into autocratic drones. I hope you didn't know that. Please consult your local "anarchist".