Rote Baron, Der (2008)

Director:

Nikolai Müllerschön

Writer (WGA):

Nikolai Müllerschön (written by)

Release Date:

10 April 2008 (Germany)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Biography | Drama | Romance | War

Plot:

Baron Manfred von Richthofen (Schweighöfer) is the most feared and celebrated pilot of the German air force in World War I...

Plot Keywords:

Pilot | Idol | Red Baron | Airplane Shot Down | German Soldier

Cast

Matthias Schweighöfer	...	Baron Manfred von Richthofen
Til Schweiger	...	Werner Voss
Lena Headey	...	Käte
Joseph Fiennes	...	Captain Roy Brown
Volker Bruch	...	Lothar von Richthofen
Maxim Mehmet	...	Leutnant Sternberg
Steffen Schroeder	...	Leutnant Bodenschatz
Hanno Koffler	...	Leutnant Lehmann
Tino Mewes	...	Leutnant Wolff
Ralph Misske	...	Menzke
Axel Prahl	...	General von Hoeppner
Gitta Schweighöfer	...	Kunigunde von Richthofen
Jan Vlasák	...	Major von Richthofen
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Luise Bähr
Brian Caspe	...	Officer
Karsten Kaie	...	Fokker
Filip Moravec	...	French soldier
Anastasia Schifler	...	Nurse
Vlasta Svátková	...	Girl in the disorderly house
Jan Unger	...	Surgeon
Eddie Wren	...	Mechanic

Also Known As:

The Red Baron (International: English title)

Runtime:

Germany:120 min (approx.)

Country:

Germany | UK

Language:

English | German | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Czech Republic

Company:

Niama Film

Trivia:

The financing for the film came exclusively from well-to-do private individuals living in the state of Baden-Württemberg and was raised by the Stuttgart-based film financing and production house Niama Film, which was established by director Nikolai Müllerschön with partners Thomas Reisser, Roland Pellegrino and Dan Maag.

Better than expected

I had the opportunity to see this film yesterday during a pre-screening in hamburg. Technically not yet perfect (in terms of grading, sound design and some effects) we saw the final cut. And I am truly pleasantly surprised. The film being a German production, the lead roles Germans, mixed with an international cast, made me extremely skeptical because - apart from the perfume - I haven't seen a truly convincing German project for a "big film" yet. BUT, this film was really well done. Good performances by all actors throughout, an amazing production design, and - best of all - really astonishing and eye catching visual effects and cgi. The effects were very subtle all over and never really recognizable. That makes good VFX!

The film itself is not a flat action/history flick, it has a message to tell and that comes across really well. The relationship between the baron and his girl is told in a very subtle way, no cheesy romance-scenes. It all happens during WW1, there was simply no time for big emotions. So we don't see a "Pearl Harbour" Hollywood flick, but a picture that shows how it really might have been - flying a plane during war. There are no clichés, just a portrait of a hero that did not even want to be one. And the cruelty and absurdity of war itself, as even the main protagonist has to learn. The ending is also well done and not cheesy or over the top. Apart from that the film did not really grab me, I enjoyed watching but was seldomly thrilled or emotionally moved. Maybe some of the characters were simply a little too flat. Also the film jumps at times and leaves out some interesting battle scenes, I had the impression they did it to keep the VFX work down.. Overall I give it a 6.5/10.