The Baader Meinhof Complex
Metascore
76 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 22 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 22
  3. Negative: 0 out of 22
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  1. Chicago Reader
    Reviewed by: J.R. Jones
    100
    An explosive but scrupulously journalistic drama about the radical group that terrorized Germany for nearly 30 years.
  2. Christian Science Monitor
    Reviewed by: Peter Rainer
    91
    It leaves us with a question that may be unanswerable: How does one extinguish terrorism when its causes are myriad?
  3. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Bonnie J. Gordon
    90
    A long but powerful true-life drama of 1970s German terrorists features masterful storytelling and bravura performances.
  4. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Manohla Dargis
    90
    A taut, unnerving, forcefully unromantic fictional film.
  5. Austin Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Marc Savlov
    89
    The end result is an electrifying, morally complex story of the evil that men (and women) do in the name of the greater good.
  6. Baltimore Sun
    Reviewed by: Michael Sragow
    88
    The result is an exciting, infuriating, combative experience.
  7. St. Louis Post-Dispatch
    Reviewed by: Calvin Wilson
    88
    Has been criticized as endorsing or condoning violence, but that assessment is unfair and inaccurate. If terrorism is to be eliminated, it must be understood, not oversimplified.

User Reviews

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User Score
8.2 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 16 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 5
  3. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. Nesbitt10
    8
    “The Baader-Meinhof Group” is a provocative, brutal, German film meticulously directed by Uli Edel "Last Exit to Brooklyn" (1990), written by by Bernd Eichinger "Downfall" (2004), and stars some of Germany's best actors: Martina Gedeck, Moritz Bleibtreu, Johanna Wokalek and Bruno Ganz. These talents come together to tell the story of the founders of the Red Faction Army (RAF), one of Germany's violent left-wing anti-capitalist group against western imperialism in Germany, whose logo is a combination of a Red Star and an MP5 sub-machine gun.
    Working off of transcripts and real-life accounts, Uli Edel simply re-creates the story and history of the Red Army Faction in accordance with the historical record, while never imposing judgment or opinions.

    Germany in the 1970s: Murderous bomb attacks; the threat of terrorism and the fear of the enemy infiltrating high levels of government is rocking at the very foundations of the fragile German democracy. The radicalized children of the Nazi generation are led by Andreas Baader, Ulrike Meinhof, and Gudrun Ensslin who are fighting a violent war against what they perceive as the new face of fascism: American imperialism supported by the German establishment--many of whom have a Nazi past. Their aim is to create a more human society, but by employing the use of terrorism and the threat of violence, they lose their own humanity in the process.

    "The Baader Meinhof Complex" is visually riveting with fantastic action scenes, and at times can become almost emotionally overwhelming. Edel propels the complex narrative and its myriad ricochets, and it surprisingly holds together quite well. That being said, the sheer length and constant brutality and bloodshed mount, making the viewing of last third of the film laborious. An impressive, well done period piece, but "The Baader-Meinhof Complex" is diluted by too many events, with too many characters, distributed over too much time.    … Full Review »
  2. RainFall
    10
    Great film. I went into it expending some propaganda piece one way or the other but i left with thoughts similar to Hitchens about the beautiful display of blurring lines between criminality and rebellion/revolution. It's well casted, well acted. Baader seemed to be a bit over the top psychopath/sociopath, but i don't know the history well enough to know if he was really like that. The movie was very immersive and it hardly felt subtitled at all. Went in skeptical, left a fan.… Full Review »
  3. Marc
    4
    Well shot , and an interesting period of time, I watched this in the same weekend as Max Manus Man of war and Das Untergang all of which I found fascinating. However I never connected with any of the characters in this movie and as a result found myself willing it conclusion. Indeed a well made piece of cinema just not a very interesting experience. Its been out on DVD for months in the Uk.… Full Review »
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