Main Cast And Crew
Starring: Jürgen Vogel,
Frederick Lau, Max Riemelt,
Jennifer Ulrich Jennifer Ulrich,Christiane Paul
Director: Dennis Gansel
Writer: Dennis Gansel,
Todd Strasser, Peter Thorwarth
Studio: IFC Films
Genre: Thriller, Drama
Rating: NR for not rated.
Runtime:1 hour 47 minute
Release Date: May 27th, 2011
Studio: IFC Films
Rating: NR
Country: Germany
Language: German
Also Known As: La ola
Filming Locations: Berlin, Germany
Storyline:
High school teacher, Rainer Wegner, may be popular with the students, but he's also unorthodox. He's forced to teach autocracy for the school's project week. He's less than enthusiastic at first, but the response of the students is surprising to say the least. He forces the students to become more invested in the prospect of self rule, and soon the class project has its own power and eerily starts to resemble Germany's past. Can Wegner and his class realize what's happening before the horrors start repeating themselves?
Movie Plot Summary:
Based on Morton Rhue's classic youth novel which has been required reading material in many German schools for years, The Wave is a work of fiction, but one based in fact: the original experiment was conducted by history teacher Ron Jones at Cubberley High School in Palo Alto, CA in 1967. With the setting updated to contemporary German, a high school teacher (Jürgen Vogel) comes up with an experiment in order to explain to his students how totalitarian governments work. A role-playing game with tragic results begins. Within a few days, what began with harmless notions like discipline and community builds into a real movement: The Wave. By the third day, the students start ostracizing and threatening others. When the conflict finally erupts into violence at an intramural water polo game, the teacher decides to break off the experiment. But it's too late. The Wave is out of control...THE WAVE premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.
Reviewed By by Joe (United Kingdom):
How does anyone really portray autocracy and/or fascism? In most ways, it can be done in the usual one-dimensional concoction of corruption, evil deeds, extreme delusion and paranoia amongst the ruling elites of the regimes. The Wave ("Die Welle") though looks at the issue from a different angle, examining how it can arise and entrance those it touches, and in the process makes the whole issue look fresh again.
The basic story is that of a school teacher (an anarchist at heart) who has to teach a class about "Autocracy". Failing to get their attention, he decides to create an experiment whereby they are to create their own mini autocracy and rules amongst themselves (named "The Wave"). With such a controversial subject, the whole thing gets out of hand with the pupils succumbing to the autocratic fascist methodology with grave consequences.
One important point that needs to be added is that its a German movie, and for historical reasons the topic is a delicate one, yet seems to add to the whole feel. The film is quite realistically disturbing in many ways, and shows how most of the pupils slowly fall for fascism in quite innocent ways. It will make you think and possibly reassess the important question, as asked in the film, if Autocracy can rear its head again.
The writing, the acting and direction are excellent. Jürgen Vogel as the class teacher is both entertaining and thoughtful in his role, but the cast in general is exceptional especially as in the main they are mostly teenagers.
If you like thoughtful films, and wish to see something that is questioning historical events in the present, then there is little to better this. Deserves to be watched. Its a film that will definitely be spoken about and re watched by many repeatedly for many years to come.
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