Very good by all means. Done marvelously in the technical and artistic way. And did I say very touching? The movie has dark and very heavy structure. It looks so authentic that involves you easily and then make you upset. It gives a smart portrait of the local neo-nazi movement in one German town but also all the social background that causes the phenomena of it. The basis of the whole movement was actually shown through the character of the main character. The ideals of its members are the same but the inner struggles of the individuals are individual. Fight between good and bad, between love and hate depicted beautifully followed by excellent acting. I also found the music very good. Excellent work! Keep on working.
13 Reviews
To judge or not to judge
kosmasp26 December 2012
The topic of right wing extremists in Germany is a very hot one. The movie tries to stay as real as possible with its depiction of the characters it portrays and the world they are living in. It's not an easy watch and it especially isn't easy to play. Main actress does a fabulous job here.
The morality is clear and that is why the movie does not emphasize on certain things. You'll either like this approach or you'll think it's takes the matter too lightly. Whatever the case don't expect your usual mainstream approach. The movie will not resolve everything or not in a satisfying kind of way. The acting alone is worth watching it of course.
The morality is clear and that is why the movie does not emphasize on certain things. You'll either like this approach or you'll think it's takes the matter too lightly. Whatever the case don't expect your usual mainstream approach. The movie will not resolve everything or not in a satisfying kind of way. The acting alone is worth watching it of course.
Haunting
ferdinand193215 June 2019
A film about right wing racism in Germany and a groan is predictable. While following the narrative of such stories, the cast and the style of the film offer a new perspective.
The film is presented in a semi-documentary style, with scenes and transitions which are more like a documentary. The near realism - or TV like visual style - makes the building of the story interesting and unpredictable.
The present is mixed with the back story of the lead character which allows for insight without her telling us because she can't.
The cast have seemingly inhabited the roles and the script and together with the camera work, which puts the audience in the center of things, adds to the directness of the film.
The story of racist violence is counterpointed with violence at other levels between the German characters and their families. In this grim environment a brief reconciliation emerges but is quickly shattered. The ending is almost poetic in an ugly place.
A very fine achievement.
The film is presented in a semi-documentary style, with scenes and transitions which are more like a documentary. The near realism - or TV like visual style - makes the building of the story interesting and unpredictable.
The present is mixed with the back story of the lead character which allows for insight without her telling us because she can't.
The cast have seemingly inhabited the roles and the script and together with the camera work, which puts the audience in the center of things, adds to the directness of the film.
The story of racist violence is counterpointed with violence at other levels between the German characters and their families. In this grim environment a brief reconciliation emerges but is quickly shattered. The ending is almost poetic in an ugly place.
A very fine achievement.
National Socialism is only the means to an end
zulu-6426021 March 2021
The film is not bad and conveys a clear message. It is authentic to a certain extent. Everyone who grew up in Germany knows the neo-Nazi scene, even if it is negligibly small and insignificant. However, the focus in the film is not on National Socialism, but rather on how one distorts one's view of the world through given circumstances and perhaps also wrong decisions in the youth. The plot could just as easily have taken place in the radical left scene or any radical religious scene.
At the end of the film, you'll learn why the main character slipped into the right milieu. Often it is just bad luck, for example when your caregiver and role model comes up with the wrong ideas in your childhood. But sometimes it's just the rebellion against the parents, while meeting the wrong people at the wrong moment, as the younger Svenja portrays. In the end, Marisa finally managed to create her own view of the world. The question remains whether Svenja can do this too.
Excellent breakthrough performance keeps this film from being a failure
Horst_In_Translation24 May 2015
Warning: Spoilers
"Kriegerin" (German term for a female warrior) is a 4-year-old 105-minute movie written and directed by David Wnendt. The best way to see this is not as a film which will tell you accurately about life as a Nazi or life in a Nazi community, but as a character study of two females and what factors caused them to end up in this company of right-wing extremists. It has a lot to do with the behavior from their parents including emotional and physical (the cigarette scene) abuse by those who are supposed to protect them and help them finding their place in life. The way these two girls developed during the movie makes it obvious that they do not necessarily believe in the ideal of Nazis, but their acting in accordance with them is really more a consequence of wanting to belong somewhere and being accepted the way they are. However, quite ironically, they are changing in order to be accepted and they willingly do so. I am not really sure if I found Levshin's or Haase's character more interesting. However, it is obvious that Levshin's character sees parallels to herself in Haase's character. And as she becomes more tolerant (also thanks to the boy), she tries to be a helping hand to Haase's character and maybe prevent her from making the same mistakes she did.
This was the big breakthrough film for Ukrainian-born Alina Levshin. She won a German Film Award for it and is since considered among the top actresses of her generation on the German market. And it was also one of Haase's breakthrough films. David Wnendt won a German Film Award as well for his screenplay and the film itself was honored as the third best movie of the year. Wnendt went on to direct the heavily-discussed "Feuchtgebiete" (based on Charlotte Roche's novel) after that, an in my opinion terrible film that couldn't be more different from "Kriegerin". Still, somehow I expected more from "Kriergerin". I really do not believe the screenplay is that good. It's almost entirely Levshin's performance which holds this film so well together. At times, especially at the very final scene near the sea this film could have done with tome more subtlety in my opinion. But Wnendt went for over-the-top showiness instead sadly. Also, I would have preferred an approach which not only displays the women in the Nazi community as victims or as somewhat good people. Maybe one of the guys helping the girls would have been nice as well. It's almost sexist. With some slight alterations, this could have been an actually great film and not only a decent one. Still, all in all, I recommend watching it.
This was the big breakthrough film for Ukrainian-born Alina Levshin. She won a German Film Award for it and is since considered among the top actresses of her generation on the German market. And it was also one of Haase's breakthrough films. David Wnendt won a German Film Award as well for his screenplay and the film itself was honored as the third best movie of the year. Wnendt went on to direct the heavily-discussed "Feuchtgebiete" (based on Charlotte Roche's novel) after that, an in my opinion terrible film that couldn't be more different from "Kriegerin". Still, somehow I expected more from "Kriergerin". I really do not believe the screenplay is that good. It's almost entirely Levshin's performance which holds this film so well together. At times, especially at the very final scene near the sea this film could have done with tome more subtlety in my opinion. But Wnendt went for over-the-top showiness instead sadly. Also, I would have preferred an approach which not only displays the women in the Nazi community as victims or as somewhat good people. Maybe one of the guys helping the girls would have been nice as well. It's almost sexist. With some slight alterations, this could have been an actually great film and not only a decent one. Still, all in all, I recommend watching it.
Deeply touching and painfully authentic
denial-638-11960019 January 2012
I'm certain this is going to be Germany's nominee for the Oscars.
The auteur, David Wnendt, seems to have collected a lot of true stories and pieced them together into a fast-paced, very violent, often harrowing and quite unpredictable plot.
Most of you don't know the East German neo-nazi scene. You'll ask yourself if this is really how these people live and talk. Believe me, it is. This movie is so close to reality it often feels like a documentary. I expected to sit in the cinema nitpicking, counting mistakes. I found just one. (A license plate with an "88" in it. The German license plate office doesn't allow that.) All the actors are unknowns and few of them get to shine. All the adults in this story are wooden and almost all the teenagers are idiots. Their main job is to convey total ignorance about the extent of their ignorance. They do that well. Jella Haase is very good.
But Alina Levshin is the one who's superstar material. This is her movie, and it will be remembered as her breakthrough. Two of the movie's most memorable scenes are long uncut closeups of her face, not speaking, and they're some of the best acting I've seen, ever.
Do see it. Just don't expect to sleep easily the night after.
The auteur, David Wnendt, seems to have collected a lot of true stories and pieced them together into a fast-paced, very violent, often harrowing and quite unpredictable plot.
Most of you don't know the East German neo-nazi scene. You'll ask yourself if this is really how these people live and talk. Believe me, it is. This movie is so close to reality it often feels like a documentary. I expected to sit in the cinema nitpicking, counting mistakes. I found just one. (A license plate with an "88" in it. The German license plate office doesn't allow that.) All the actors are unknowns and few of them get to shine. All the adults in this story are wooden and almost all the teenagers are idiots. Their main job is to convey total ignorance about the extent of their ignorance. They do that well. Jella Haase is very good.
But Alina Levshin is the one who's superstar material. This is her movie, and it will be remembered as her breakthrough. Two of the movie's most memorable scenes are long uncut closeups of her face, not speaking, and they're some of the best acting I've seen, ever.
Do see it. Just don't expect to sleep easily the night after.
Bad, stereotypical movie about German neo-Nazis
ginnosaji30 August 2015
Warning: Spoilers
I watched this movie a few years ago in a screening provided by our school for educational purposes. The topic itself isn't often depicted in German movies. That's why I was excited to see "Kriegerin". It even won the "German Film Award for Best Feature Film" so it had to be good - but it wasn't.
While it is indeed interesting to see the rare portrayal of a female neo-Nazi, and a girl who is getting involved with the right-wing extremist skinheads, "Kriegerin" fails at other aspects. As a German citizen and someone familiar with the right-wing extremist culture, I think it's only showing a clichéd picture composed of neo-Nazis with combat boots, lots of tattoos which say "14 words" or "88", and who are dumb and only seeking violence. It seems as though they are a rather barbaric people. Right-wing extremist skinheads –who behave most of the time as shown in the movie- are not the majority anymore among the neo-Nazis, in fact they're number is decreasing. Neo-Nazism still lives mainly because of two factors: 1. "Autonome Nationalisten (AN)", who make up the largest group of Nazis 2. Political parties such as "NPD", "Republikaner" and other influences in politics.
"Kriegerin" fails raising awareness of how someone gets sucked into the neo-Nazi scene and what the "common" Nazi is like today. It doesn't really matter whether the acting - especially of Alina Levshin- was good or if the approach of going with female main characters is brave and interesting – the main purpose should be educating the viewer about current racism and anti-Semitism in Germany. Unfortunately, the filmmakers didn't deliver at all. Search the web for "Autonome Nationalisten", and you get a vastly different picture about today's Nazis and their recruiting and propaganda strategies.
While it is indeed interesting to see the rare portrayal of a female neo-Nazi, and a girl who is getting involved with the right-wing extremist skinheads, "Kriegerin" fails at other aspects. As a German citizen and someone familiar with the right-wing extremist culture, I think it's only showing a clichéd picture composed of neo-Nazis with combat boots, lots of tattoos which say "14 words" or "88", and who are dumb and only seeking violence. It seems as though they are a rather barbaric people. Right-wing extremist skinheads –who behave most of the time as shown in the movie- are not the majority anymore among the neo-Nazis, in fact they're number is decreasing. Neo-Nazism still lives mainly because of two factors: 1. "Autonome Nationalisten (AN)", who make up the largest group of Nazis 2. Political parties such as "NPD", "Republikaner" and other influences in politics.
"Kriegerin" fails raising awareness of how someone gets sucked into the neo-Nazi scene and what the "common" Nazi is like today. It doesn't really matter whether the acting - especially of Alina Levshin- was good or if the approach of going with female main characters is brave and interesting – the main purpose should be educating the viewer about current racism and anti-Semitism in Germany. Unfortunately, the filmmakers didn't deliver at all. Search the web for "Autonome Nationalisten", and you get a vastly different picture about today's Nazis and their recruiting and propaganda strategies.
limited views
wvisser-leusden13 April 2012
Warning: Spoilers
This excellent film is about young adolescents, who painfully discover that their modest intellectual capacities do not match the high standards of today's complicated Western society.
The disappointment & frustration, fed by their failure to connect, result in political extremism. German neo-Nazism unites them in hatred, providing emotional shelter as well as a channel to demonstrate their views. Inevitably it all leads to a dead end.
'Kriegerin' (= German for 'female warrior') stands out for two reasons. First, the excellent acting of lead Alina Levshin; second, the way this film is shot.
'Kriegerin's picturing is very sober. No menu to start with, no trailer, no interviews, no deleted scenes; just the film. When on its way, we find the film's picturing done from a pretty narrow angle. Forcing you to concentrate on its action & interaction, leaving out any opportunity to enjoy a panoramic landscape or whatsoever. In this way 'Kriegerin's picturing connects with the limited views on life & society by its participants.
The disappointment & frustration, fed by their failure to connect, result in political extremism. German neo-Nazism unites them in hatred, providing emotional shelter as well as a channel to demonstrate their views. Inevitably it all leads to a dead end.
'Kriegerin' (= German for 'female warrior') stands out for two reasons. First, the excellent acting of lead Alina Levshin; second, the way this film is shot.
'Kriegerin's picturing is very sober. No menu to start with, no trailer, no interviews, no deleted scenes; just the film. When on its way, we find the film's picturing done from a pretty narrow angle. Forcing you to concentrate on its action & interaction, leaving out any opportunity to enjoy a panoramic landscape or whatsoever. In this way 'Kriegerin's picturing connects with the limited views on life & society by its participants.
A powerful and impressively realistic piece of art
ek-hlewagastir1 October 2012
Kriegerin/Combat Girls is the last film of a kind that has become one of Germany's finest exports. I am thinking of films like "Das Experiment" and "Die Welle" which, directly or indirectly, investigate what lies behind a dictatorship like Nazism and the dangers of falling into one again, which sometimes may seem far away. With this film, this time we are taken very close to the reality of a small (supposedly East) German town where far-right extremists rule the place and intimidate migrants. The point of view is entirely coincident with the main character, Marisa (award-winner Ukrainian-born Alina Levshin), who plays the passionate girlfriend of one of the gang's most violent and dangerous subjects. Her acting is amazing and, as already stated by another reviewer, it brings the film to a totally different level giving it the effectiveness of a documentary. The film is essentially about a girl who seems to know very well what she wants (to the extent that her whole body is covered in tattoos which are also political statements), while in fact some events will force her to reconsider not only her set of values, but also a relationship with a man whose deep love quickly turns into the deepest hate. On the background, there is a side story about Marisa's dying Nazi grandfather. She doesn't want to accept that he had been violent to her own wife before she was born, and that relates directly to the violence she in turn has chosen to surround herself with. A 15 years old seeking to be accepted into the gang is also dragged into this spiral of hate and violence - a consequence of her dominating father - until she understand what that really means. The third girl of the gang is always in the background, she's very passive and hardly talks and shows a melancholy which turns out to be a result of life's injustice. This is in my opinion the best German film since Gegen die Wand/Head On. Both educational and a piece of -literally- screaming art. A must see!
Impressive and necessary
jjr428 March 2013
There are movies worth seeing and movies which need to be seen. This is both. It's a brilliant piece of acting by the whole cast, with a stellar performance from Alina levshin, and an understated but efficient directing from David Wnendt. But it is also a frighteningly cold and accurate view of neo nazism. The routine violence and hate carried by these young individuals echoes of all the fanaticism that surrounds us today. It is a very disturbing depiction of how society is step by step going to waste, turning back to tribal models.
Despite the fact that the movie gets watched without any slowing down or loss of interest, even if it can make one feel a little voyeuristic at times, this is no easy viewing, don't expect to come out of the theater with anything resembling a smile on your face. But at lest you'll be sure to have food for thought and both a new director/writer and actress whose careers you'll want to keep following.
Despite the fact that the movie gets watched without any slowing down or loss of interest, even if it can make one feel a little voyeuristic at times, this is no easy viewing, don't expect to come out of the theater with anything resembling a smile on your face. But at lest you'll be sure to have food for thought and both a new director/writer and actress whose careers you'll want to keep following.
A great and understated film.
i_am_bryony17 November 2012
Warning: Spoilers
I found Kriegerin as i was browsing the internet, gathering information on Neo Nazis in Europe and it caught my eye because it looked like it might be a realistic story about real people and not some semi glamorisation of Nazis (like the hateful AHX). I wasn't disappointed as Kriegerin is one of the very few films that has tackled the subject with honesty and without making them seem like funny or intelligent characters. Everybody but the main characters, only 3 of them, are in the background and the leader of the Nazi group, Marisas boyfriend, is a hateful ugly person with nothing to say for himself. Marisa is a violent unhinged girl who always seems to go a little too far.
Marisa, very much a product of her upbringing, finds her humanity in the shape of a young immigrant boy who asks her for help and she gets caught between her beliefs and her innate compassion. Her betrayal of her friends is complete (and violent) but not without consequence. She also adopts a 15 year old runaway who thinks its all a bit of a laugh and a game, but too late she discovers that , ridiculous as they seem, her new friends are ruthless.
This not a film with a huge budget or great production values, but Alina Levshin portrays more with her silences than a thousand lines of dialogue ever could. it is gritty and downbeat and is a truer depiction of that lifestyle than I have seen anywhere else.
Marisa, very much a product of her upbringing, finds her humanity in the shape of a young immigrant boy who asks her for help and she gets caught between her beliefs and her innate compassion. Her betrayal of her friends is complete (and violent) but not without consequence. She also adopts a 15 year old runaway who thinks its all a bit of a laugh and a game, but too late she discovers that , ridiculous as they seem, her new friends are ruthless.
This not a film with a huge budget or great production values, but Alina Levshin portrays more with her silences than a thousand lines of dialogue ever could. it is gritty and downbeat and is a truer depiction of that lifestyle than I have seen anywhere else.
Women's role in the neo-Nazi environment
losindiscretoscine25 October 2016
Even though many films have brilliantly shown the topic of neo- Nazism and its rise in contemporary society, Kriegerin ("Combat girls") focuses on the role of women in this environment. In the core of a strongly misogynistic ideology, women have to be twice as violent to impose themselves and find their own place. But it is not this exacerbate violence or hatred (even if it is realistic) that constitutes the strength of the movie, but the slowly change that takes place in Marisa thanks to an Afghan teen who she will help without really knowing why. Located in a cold economically fragile Germany, the boy will turn Marisa's life outside down. The symbolism of "a life lost is a life gained" is strong and the characters are colourful. The coup de grâce of the film comes from its poetry that is well-paced distilled and, between one aggression and another, manage to break through the film's cold colours, making it even more beautiful. Full review on our blog : https://losindiscretos.org/english/combat-girls-2011-david-wnendt
Thought-provoking
pangipingu12 November 2020
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