Michael Kohlhaas (2013)

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1. 

   franzekafky

   The atmosphere, colours, music... all splendidly produced. However, for the sake of these elements, the director seems to have disregarded many essential elements in the book (or, in the real story for that matter).
   
   The film can barely convey to the spectators the agony Michael Kohlhaas suffers, or how he could raise a small-scale army, how viciously he had been treated by the authorities, how he had to endure countless treasons and backstabbings, how royal/family ties and self interests prevail above all else (especially justice: justice is but a mere word), etc. The director and screenwriter also ignored the immensenly important Martin Luther's influence, sympathy, philosophy on Kohlhaas' case. Even in the film cast, he is referred as "the theologist".
   
   Poor, very poor screenwriting, very poor character development - even description -, but close-to-perfect directorship of photography! 8 years 7 months ago
2. 

   Siskoid

   A French redress of a German story, Michael Kohlhass might be a recognizable name in central Europe - he's a folk hero that's halfway between Robin Hood and Braveheart - but not here, so of course they saddled it with an overwrought title: Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas. Yeah, that's not gonna turn it into a hit, guys. One thing I've learned looking at Mads Mikkelsen's career is that the last character you want to be in his films is his wife. He plays a horse trader who gets cheated by the new baron, refuses to back down, and that costs him his wife. It's a great little story of injustice, with Mads as usual extremely watchable. Unfortunately, the peasant revolt Kohlhass leads is the boring part. The action beats are good, but there seems to be too much going on behind the scenes and we're often following characters we don't rightly know. Is there a longer version where these people's scenes make sense? Your attention wanders just when you should feel roused. But then, this is bound to be a downer, unless the aristocracy was taken down in the 16th Century and our history books are wrong. Special mention of Denis Lavant as a priest who really embodies how religion was keeping the citizenry under control then (as perhaps, now). 1 month 4 weeks ago
3. 

   Emiam

   6/10
   
   Exciting and critically acclaimed at film festivals, nice with few dialogues and beautiful environments, but something is missing for higher ratings. Filmed many times before this truth-based story. 5 years 8 months ago

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