Name: Die Stunde des Löwen
Genre: Thriller
Released: 1999-05-21
Duration: 1 h 31 min
Rating: 4.9
Cast: Stefan Kurt, Doreen Jacobi, Ralph Herforth

What is she talking about? This is a very good movie!

Well, I haven't seen too many German movies, but I thought this one was very good! Whereas American cops are generally very slick and glamourous (even when they're supposed to be sleazy) and British cops impossibly sleazy (even when they're supposed to be glamourous), these German guys seemed to strike a credible balance.

One thing - why are German movies so very dark? Is there a light bulb shortage in Germany? Or is it that they have the same production and direction crew as "Derrick", another excellent but also under-illuminated German cop show?

The two sex scenes, early in the movie, were a little gratuitous. There was (the moderately pretty) Doreen Jacobi, sitting in the bath with the water not quite up to her nipples. Sigh.

And yes, I must confess, about half an hour before the movie ended it was obvious who the bad guy was. But that didn't really spoil the movie. I mean it was merely a matter of following all of the clues. And if you accept the initial circumstances that led to the scenario portrayed in this movie (and I agree that that might be a bit of a stretch), then perhaps the plot and the thinking of the bad guy might indeed be plausible.

To what other movie might this be compared? Offhand there doesn't seem to be too many. Maybe Mel Gibson's "Ransom"? Well, this movie is certainly better than that one!

There was one aspect of this movie that maybe coloured my judgement. This movie portrayed pretty well everyone involved with current affairs programs as manipulative, ruthless, callous, indifferent; caring only about image and ratings. Perhaps because I think that that happens to be completely true, this movie struck with me a very sympathetic chord. And to follow that thought, by the end of the movie my sympathies were with the cop (sort of), the bad guy and the kidnapped wife only; for everyone else I had only contempt. To my mind, that is one sign of a good movie - you think it's good even if you think all of the protagonists are a**holes....

 So if you, Constant Reader, think that the Ray Martins of this world are the bees knees and the Keepers and Guardians of the Truth, then perhaps this movie might not be for you.

German cinema is famous for its historical depth, expressionist aesthetics, and social-political engagement. It has moved from Expressionism to political reckoning, from New German Cinema's raw realism to contemporary genre experiments. Its legacy lies in both technical innovation and deep explorations of history, morality, and philosophy.

The thriller genre features suspense, tension, and excitement. These stories are known for keeping audiences on the edge of their seats and delivering intense emotional experiences by revolving around high-stakes situations, dangerous conflicts, and the constant anticipation of unexpected events.

For presenter Harald Löwe, the most important thing in his life is definitely his career. When his wife is kidnapped he wants to use even that to improve his ratings.

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Die Stunde des Löwen

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