Das Experiment (DVD)

The film revolves around a man called Tarek, who is a taxi driver and he comes across an experimental study ad in the newspapers. He initially joins the scientific trial for the massive 4000 marks given out on the completion of the study but then realises he could use this to his advantage to get his job back as a journalist. Other 19 men from all walks of life are also doing the study for the money. They must stay 14 days in an isolated environment ...
...violence at all. There are two groups: the prisoners and the guards. What happens during the film, you'd expect the prisoners to put their heads down and quiet for 14 days but no, Tarek decided to create a ruckus, just to create a string of sensationalist scenes which he films with a hidden camera inside his glasses. Tarek purposely tests the guards' limits and risks the integrity and safety of his fellow prisoners.

Moritz Bleibtreu ... more

The film revolves around a man called Tarek, who is a taxi driver and he comes across an experimental study ad in the newspapers. He initially joins the scientific trial for the massive 4000 marks given out on the completion of the study but then realises he could use this to his advantage to get his job back as a journalist. Other 19 men from all walks of life are also doing the study for the money. They must stay 14 days in an isolated environment with no basic human rights and they must not use violence at all. There are two groups: the prisoners and the guards. What happens during the film, you'd expect the prisoners to put their heads down and quiet for 14 days but no, Tarek decided to create a ruckus, just to create a string of sensationalist scenes which he films with a hidden camera inside his glasses. Tarek purposely tests the guards' limits and risks the integrity and safety of his fellow prisoners.

Moritz Bleibtreu ... Tarek Fahd - Häftling Nr. 77 / Prisoner #77
Christian Berkel ... Steinhoff - Häftling Nr. 38 / Prisoner #38
Oliver Stokowski ... Schütte - Häftling Nr. 82 / Prisoner #82
Wotan Wilke Möhring ... Joe - Häftling Nr. 69 / Prisoner #69
Stephan Szasz ... Häftling Nr. 53 / Prisoner #53
Justus von Dohnanyi ... Berus - Strafvollzugsbeamter / Guard
Nicki von Tempelhoff ... Kamps - Strafvollzugsbeamter / Guard
Timo Dierkes ... Eckert - Strafvollzugsbeamter / Guard

Loosely based on the infamous Stanford experiment that tried to look on the dark side of psychology; how the mind changes suddenly when placed into unlimited power. The experiment lasted for several days and when Zimbardo, the main doctor on the study, realised the guard's tendencies had changed, they had to put a stop to the experiment before it went too far. What this film does is assumes what would have happened if the doctor hadn't intervened with the study and allowed it to carry on. So only less than half of the film actually happened, the rest is just pure exaggeration for us, the audience.

The film captured the disorietation and loss of reality experienced by the guards and prisoners as they both settled into their role very well and authentically; when compared to the infamous Stanford Prison experiment . A few difficult events led the guards to clamp down on the disrespectful behaviour of several prisoners mainly Tarek, superbly played by Bleibtreu; they adapt their methods by using acts of humiliation over the prisoners. They already had dehumanized the prisoners as they got rid of their names and were referred to as a number. They initially take pleasure in mentally humiliating them which inevitably led to physical violence. When watching this film, it scared me when put into the right conditions and a series of men who wants to control their situation within their rules; they became rather sadist and uncaring as they realise they have unlimited bounds to their power: they think they have become God in short.

The direction was fantastic here; it had a great pace to the film and incredibly absorptive atmosphere with a fantastically claustrophobic feel to put across the emotions of the prisoners themselves. I couldn't peel myself away from the screen if I tried. Bleibtreu plays the intense journalist who too late begins to realise that it never was a game very well. I must make a honourable mention to Von Dohnanyi who plays Berus; who is the first to sink into madness as he loses reality, he played his part with such intense fire in his eyes, more and more I watched him, the more I didn't want to be tortured by him as he portrayed his character as totally sadistic and brutal effectively. The authenticity of the film overall is rather supported by the very realistic prison set which put across the feeling of claustrophobia nicely. Although, majority of the film takes place in inside a prison and some scenes in Tarek's bedroom was wonderfully shot with poignant cinematography that was somehow rather moving.

I felt the scientists in the film was a bit weak as characters as they didn't seem to be very well prepared; as they were easily overpowered by the team of guards; they didn't seem to take their ethical code seriously and wanted to see how far they could go: at the expense of the guards and prisoners' minds. It had a pretty good base plot but the film suffered slightly when it kept cutting to Tarek's girlfriend in random moments throughout the film; trying to suggest he had an emotional connection with the girl after spending a night stand with her. It just seemed a bit up in the sky and tried to insert a love interest just to fill the plot up. There was also a character in Tarek's cell whoses presence was never really fully explained and it felt rather incomplete when finishing the film.

This being a subtitled film didn't really hurt my viewing; but then again, subtitles is second nature to me and I am sure it would have affected other people's viewing perhaps? The subtitles weren't hard to read as the film was mainly set in rather dark places with little lightning; perfect conditions to read subtitles!

This is a great film but never really lives up totally to its potential mainly due to some useless scenes and weak characters but it definitely puts you on the edge of your seat for nearly 2 hours! In all, a fully entertaining film to check out and makes you think about your own ethical code and how far you would go before you'd be up shit creek.  

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