DER EISBAER is the first movie German mega-star Til Schweiger directed, and starred in. Seen when it premiered in Germany in November of '98, I accompanied all the avant premiere buzz surrounding the film and Schweiger's career moves, and even attended one of the premieres Schweiger hosted at the new Potsdamer Platz Cinemaxx. This action drama with a relationship story lived up to all the hype, and exceeded my inflated expectations. If you are a Schweiger fan or a an action drama lover, don't miss DER EISBAER when it comes out on video or if it opens outside Europe. Schweiger has come a long way since DER BEWEGTE MANN ("Maybe, Maybe Not"), and in the process has single-handedly brought German cinema back to the masses after a half century of domination by the high brow author directors (Herzog, Fassbinder, Wenders) who made German cinema synonymous with boredom, and inaccessibility with the masses. Since 1994, Schweiger starrers have broken German Box Office Records consistently. Here, though this film did not break the Box Office Records of the others (including MAENNERPENSION and KNOCKIN' ON HEAVEN'S DOORS), he shows us in more dimensions why he has been the phenomenon of popular German cinema this past decade, and probably beyond 2000. I give DER EISBAER 8 out 10 points.
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GMeleJr9 November 1999
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bedguess18 December 2006The film is a real light one - but I found it very funny. You get to see a bunch of well - known German actors that tell a story that is foreseeable, but the good thing of the film isn't the story, it's how it's told. The quality of the actors that take part in this movie was only possible because they are friends in real life and didn't see the movie as a commercial product in the first place. They did it for fun, and so get to see an uncomplicated movie played by actors you usually wouldn't see in such a movie - and in such a concentration.
Gangsters that threaten gangsters, policeman chase all the gangsters, some want money, some want vengeance, some just want to have fun.
The acting is very convincing, and the behavior of the characters is sometimes funny, sometimes tragic. Furthermore, the type of the characters is very different and sometimes quite extreme.
I like the movie very much. It may not be perfect, but after all I always like to watch the film when it's shown in TV every few years. -
David-Kappel18 December 2006I've just "Der Eisbär" and do not quite understand why so many people dislike this movie. Due to that I did not have any high expectations it is true that this movie tries a little too hard to become a cult classic and that some jokes do not really work out (as the phone ringing a couple of times when the hit-man is just about to kill some fellow) but on the other hand there are some brilliant scenes. The burger robbery for an example is one of the moments in which the movie's concept really works out. Schwaiger's performance is not over the edge but he does a good Job. Ralf Richter is brilliant as always. The story has some weaknesses but somehow one does not really care as it is not the aim of the movie to tell the backgrounds of the story. I reckon it's quite a good movie and if you don't go to see this with the expectation of watching another "Bang Boom Bang" you won't be disappointed.
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Quentin Tarantino is a talented director who occasionally acts, although it's clearly not his forte. Till Schweiger on the other hand is a, well, decent and very popular German actor who, for this movie, pretended to also be a director. Unfortunately, the whole shtick didn't work out as well as hoped, and "Der Eisbär" turns out to be a glossy but ultimately pointless, and occasionally annoying, flick. It comes laden with Schweiger's actor buddies and is well filmed and "easy on the eye" (nice camerawork, good locations, coherent costumes, etc.), but the story is paper thin and has been done a hundred times before, and better. What really turned me off was the fact that Schweiger seems to think that simply having him on the screen for extended periods would make great cinema, and that copying Tarantino's style with a large brush would make him a great director, as if Tarantino's work was unseen of in this country. The movie is practically Schweiger's cinematic ego trip, and I did not find it was worth watching.
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"Der Eisbär" is a German 85-minute movie from 1998, so this one is already almost 20 years old. The writer and director is Granz Henman and his co-director is Til Schweiger. For both, it is the first effort in their respective positions here, but Schweiger was of course also an established actor at this point already and it should be no surprise to anybody that he landed the lead role. For Henman it is still a contender for his most known work almost two decades later. But now let us take a look at this one here. At times, it reminded me of an inferior version of "Reservoir Dogs" and I would not be surprised if it inspired that project. As for this one here, Schweiger is fairly decent and works nicely for the main character. But there are weaknesses too. For such a relatively short film, it has too many entirely forgettable scenes or scenes that even did not fit in well when it comes to realism, authenticity or just convincing character development. The script could have been better on many occasions and it fits somehow looking at Henman's other famous films.
But there are also good moments. Many actors in here are familiar faces in this film (I won't list the names, just check the cast list) and these add something through their talent or charisma. I personally liked seeing Leonard Lansink (Wilsberg) as a pretty silent barkeeper here and the scene at the bar was indeed really fun, maybe when this film was at its best. As for the ending, however, I was not convinced. Not only could it have been better, but it also felt as if the filmmakers sacrificed realism and quality here to make it look as showy and spectacular as possibly. It may only be subjective perception and opinion, but I don't like this approach at all I must say and there were enough decent moments that made me think that the film deserves a better ending for sure. And you actually even learn something in here about female sexuality and male anatomy, maybe the most crucial moment of the film. Anyway, this film is proof that Schweiger also can give somewhat decent performances if he wants to and it is certainly one of his better career performances, maybe also because it is better than most of the stuff he has appeared in recently. The story here is so different and it is pretty bold at times. If you go bold, you go wrong sometimes too, but I can accept that. Just don't expect a truly epic outcome and you may have a time watching this one at least as good as I did. 6 of 10 may be a bit on the generous side, but I recommend watching it. -
9horst18 June 2002Til Schweiger in one of his best roles. Nearly forgotten german music gives the proper sound providing the amusing plot of the film directed by Til himself. All in all it is worth seeing it more than just one time so enjoy the atmosphere which will catch you in any case.
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milanium8623 January 2013The story makes no sense at all. A hired gun has to get stopped from his contract to kill a snitch with a bag of money. He misses his call, gets his job done and for whatever reason he and his agent should be killed now. There is another "plot" involving wiring up a gangster boss car to bomb him, but the car gets stolen. It even has a tracking device installed, but instead of phoning home and asking for the location, the beautiful assassin decides to go into a nearby bar and get drunk where she meets the hit-man who instead of warning his partner that assassins will come for him soon, also decides to get heavily drunk in the same bar. That is it. In fact nothing of importance is happening all the time. The car jackers sub-plot involves driving to a diner to steal hamburgers and is interrupted by their infantile humor. You will see many famous faces of German television who will in the end meet up in a shoot-out including several minutes of angry shouting at each other. The hit-man gets wounded, but is still able to walk away with the girl he just met. Instead of getting to a doctor and survive, they get the money that is still next to the dead snitch and decide to bleed to death on a nameless state road.
The obvious comparison is Pulp Fiction. While the original focuses on absurd humor and violent shoot-outs with great cinematography, this is like the version for 14 year olds joking about penis sizes on the school yard smoking their mild tasting cigarettes. Oops, I just spoilered half of the jokes the actors will narrate. The overacting and the slow pace of the movie make it really annoying to watch. You will see a bar that looks like everywhere else with a group of xenophobic regulars, the rapid transit system of cologne and a no-name diner. This is no way near Tarantino even though it re-enacts parts of other movies all the time. Not even the Mexican standoff in the end is in any way impressive.
Instead of watching this garbage I should have played a mission of Grand Theft Auto. It's storyline would have made much more sense and be way more entertaining. Luckily the protagonists died so there won't be a sequel. -
cschumann22 March 2004"Der Eisbar" is by far the greatest surprise in german postwar film production. Directed by the emerging Mr. Till Schweiger, who usually plays the protagonist in many european movies (like the upcoming Star Trek, Star Wars bashing satire from Bulli Herbig after Manitou´s Shoe) Imagine Brad Pitt doing a great road track movie... This work feels like "PULP FICTION" on steroids- Cramped with german TV and movie stars this movie blows a heavy punch. It has everything from satire, jokes below the belt -absolutely political incorrect, fast cut scenes, a furious and hilarious plot (the killing of the "Minister of Health" -the mafia mob boss). Anybody outside Germany will have dramatic problems understanding those jokes due to the appearance of well known german faces (like the american diner boss -the star comedian Tom Gerhardt and the country song idol Peter Maffay). Even if you are not acquainted with the star parade, the story is wonderfully told. The whole thing resembles a half breed- Altmans "Short Cuts" and Quentins "Pulp Fiction" We wish there would be a chance for a second or a third Eisbär Movie...
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At first glance, one could think the movie just unashamedly copies the stereotypical Hollywood gangster movie. But nothing could be further from the truth. The film is a total persiflage on the genre, setting a typical and deliberately shallow plot into Germany's industrial heartland - the Ruhr area. There it is staged with loads of local colour and bizarre details not necessarily related to the actual plot, the latter obviously 'borrowed' from Takashi Miike movies.
Der Eisbär not only holds its own when it comes to gangster flicks, it's a standout. Rarely has a movie taken on the genre and rendered it what it really is in all its ridiculousness. The love for details is extraordinary and the situational humour spot on, but not as overdone as it often is the case in American productions.
Add to this supporting roles filled with the who is who of the German film and entertainment industry, most notable an -as usual- brilliant Juergen Tarrach as the bomb constructor, Ralph Herforth and Ralf Richter as undercover cops, comedian Tom Gerhardt as the manager of the fast food restaurant, and character actress and internationally acclaimed director Katharina Thalbach in a tiny appearance, sleeping off her intoxication in the "Pauls Eck" pub during the final stand-off.
Der Eisbär is a masterpiece. Totally misunderstood by many, it has acquired a cult following among the ones in the know.