The Baader Meinhof Complex review

German terrorist drama leaves no time for contemplation

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Prisonbreaks, bombings, shoot-outs, assassinations, hunger strikes, suicides, bank robberies... One thing The Baader Meinhof Complex isn’t short of is drama. Directed by veteran helmer Uli Edel, the film chronicles the rise and fall of the Red Army Faction, a group of left-wing revolutionaries who waged war against the West German state in the ’60s and ’70s.

The filmmakers power their way through the story, effectively recreating the escalating terror masterminded by the Red Army and the increasingly repressive government counter-measures. But despite the convincing cast and hefty running time, there’s no space left for reflection and insight.

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