Bandits

Rating:
Summary: "Abandoned men are dangerous."
Review: "Bandits" is a German film with English subtitles (and it's not to be confused with the Bruce Willis film). A prison reformer decides to entertain a convention of lawmakers with a band composed solely of female prison inmates. The idea is that convicts should be reintegrated into society "using their natural talents." Four inmates have formed a loosely knit band--called The Bandits--mainly due to their enjoyment of music, but the band members don't particular like each other or get along. On the way to the convention, the women escape. Once on the run, they achieve legendary outlaw status by robbing and playing free concerts for the masses. Determined police detectives are hot on the trial, and as the women elude the police, the band's popularity and fame grows. Soon everyone is buying the band's CD and listening to their music.

The four band members are all different types. Luna is the very tough, aggressive guitarist and singer. Angel is much softer. Marie has a death wish, and Emma is in jail for killing someone. As the film develops, each band member's past is revealed, and these revelations create tight bonds within the group.

The best part of this film has to be the music (although the lyrics are sung in English). Unfortunately, the whole "free concerts" thing is also more than a bit exaggerated. Ok, these girls can take over a stage full of equipment, and they may be able to steal instruments, but some of the rooftop concerts (for example) push the limits of credibility. The notion of the growth of their popularity as they careen across Germany is well done, and I enjoyed the intriguing and irony-laded results of their fame. The police hunt for the band (for being escaped convicts), but fans also hunt them. As a result, the band becomes so famous that their notoriety makes their escape problematic, and the fact that the Bandits crave and encourage attention from their fans doesn't make it easier. The film is nicely paced and well acted, and the creative ending endorses the idea that ultimately the band's message is of social protest rather than a shot at fame. Sadly, however, the characters cannot rise above cliches, and the film does not achieve complete originality--displacedhuman


Rating:
Summary: A Hard Day's Nicht
Review: A generally entertaining rock 'n' roll musical fantasy/chase film/dramedy from Germany that starts off with the energy and promise of another "Trainspotting" or "Run Lola Run" but unfortunately can't keep up that pace.To her credit, the director quickly dispatches with the "Caged Heat" cliches by wisely removing our heroines from thier prison environment and into the "riot grrls on the run" storyline almost immeadiately. "Bandits" loses serious steam in the third act, where the cinematic influences hinted at early on ("Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid", "The Blues Brothers")become too obvious with wholesale lifts of scene ideas from those other films (especially the final freeze frame).The original music is good, and the visual/editing style is impressive. The director certainly appears to be someone to keep an eye on. By no means a classic, but worth a look.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best flicks of all time
Review: A group of women form a band and escape prison, giving improptu concerts as they flee detectives, police, etc. Great soundtrack, although the lyrics rarely make sense. The characters are fabulous! I saw this movie when I was studying in Mainz (near Wiesbaden where the director is from). The movie poster still hangs in my room. When I returned to college in the United States I devoted an entire independant project (one course) to a paper to this, possibly the best movie I have ever seen. A definite must-see! I have been anxiously awaiting its release in a format compatible with VCRs in the U.S.

Rating:
Summary: Joyous, fresh, sexy--opening petal by petal
Review: A warmth and freshness I haven't seen in a long time. The characters developed and opened like a spring rose. The terrific music was just an added bonus!

Rating:
Summary: wow
Review: As a first time foreign film watcher. This movie blew my mind. Had me sitting on the edge of my seat during the whole movie. Would recommend this movie to anyone that has never seen a foreign film. The sound track was just as great as the movie itself

Rating:
Summary: Made me feel young again!
Review: Bandits gave me a feeling I haven't had for many years. The movie is somewhat reminisent of early Beatles films with it's use of deliberate cliches. The "garage band" sound created a special energy that makes even me, at 53, get up & dance. All the cast were wonderful, but I found Katja Riemann especially HOT. It's such a shame the world seems unaware of so much fun.

Rating:
Summary: Why not more stars!
Review: Bandits was by far the best movie I've seen about women on the run. Not only does the movie have great acting and a great story line but it quite simply Rocks!. All I have to say is that I hope these lovely ladies don't forget to catch me.

Rating:
Summary: Like a Blind Date That Worked
Review: For me, Bandits was like a surprise blind date that really "worked" in that I expected to be disappointed and, by the end of the evening was completely charmed. I something contrived or silly: "Hard Day's Night" meets "Caged Heat", or something equally high-concept and horrible. But it completely won me over and have yet to find a friend who didn't like it once they got past their misgivings over the premise. Bandits manages to be both surreal yet gritty, playful at times and yet also shocking. And, most of all, Bandits was haunting and made me think about life, friendship, and values. It had it's annoying moments, but they were few and forgivable. For example, how serious is it that the "American" kidnap victim has oddly un-American speech patterns and has a name that only a German would expect a U.S. college boy could have. "West"?!?!? Sure. Why not? And, yes, the music is really cool (You'll find yourself humming "If God Was Me" for quite a while). But this film is no more about rock bands really than "Billy Budd" is about sailing.

Rating:
Summary: Like a Blind Date That Worked
Review: For me, Bandits was like a surprise blind date that really "worked" in that I expected to be disappointed and, by the end of the evening was completely charmed. I something contrived or silly: "Hard Day's Night" meets "Caged Heat", or something equally high-concept and horrible. But it completely won me over and have yet to find a friend who didn't like it once they got past their misgivings over the premise. Bandits manages to be both surreal yet gritty, playful at times and yet also shocking. And, most of all, Bandits was haunting and made me think about life, friendship, and values. It had it's annoying moments, but they were few and forgivable. For example, how serious is it that the "American" kidnap victim has oddly un-American speech patterns and has a name that only a German would expect a U.S. college boy could have. "West"?!?!? Sure. Why not? And, yes, the music is really cool (You'll find yourself humming "If God Was Me" for quite a while). But this film is no more about rock bands really than "Billy Budd" is about sailing.

Rating:
Summary: Super soundtrack plus great acting. This movie rocks.
Review: How about a modern version of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid in Germany. This movie has the best soundtrack ever. Don't let the sub-titling scare you away from this movie. The songs are all in English and the acting is so superb that the German dialog is secondary. Excellent cinematography and editing. Some reviews of this movie make a comparison to the Spice Girls. This couldn't be further from the truth. These girls have a rough edge and real look. You'll see through their grit, and fall in love with them. Be sure to crank up the volume about five notches.