Film: 20-year-old Marisa (Alina Levshin) lives in a small town somewhere deep in the East German province. There are hardly any prospects here and Marisa can't count on family support either. She finds support only in her clique, which belongs to the right-wing extremist scene. The young supermarket employee repeatedly gives free rein to her hatred of the world, of everyone who seems stupid to her, and especially of foreigners. After all, she needs someone to blame. Blame for the fact that her boyfriend Sandro (Gerdy Zint) is in jail, that her beloved grandfather, who infected her with right-wing ideas at an early age, is dying and for the fact that life in her country is becoming increasingly difficult. The fact that a new member, the young girl Svenja (Jella Haase), has joined her clique, who gets on Marisa's nerves from the very first second, doesn't exactly help her aggression. But then comes a fateful encounter with the young asylum seeker Rasul (Sayed Ahmad Wasil Mrowat), which shakes Marisa's worldview tattooed on her torso mightily - with disastrous consequences...
Warrior is an intense drama that tackles the difficult subject of right-wing radicalism in an authentic, but unfortunately also somewhat superficial way. Filmmaker David Wnendt impressively shows how easy it is to slip into the right-wing scene, but on the other hand how difficult it is to escape it again. The shockingly powerful performance by lead actress Alina Levshin, who was rightly awarded the 2012 German Film Prize for her work, gives the story a particularly haunting character. The rest of the production can't always live up to this.
The cell phone videos, which are used a little too excessively at the beginning, with which the clique documents their violent attacks on foreigners or the harassment and humiliation of passers-by on the train, seem a little too concerned with authenticity. But this authenticity is created in completely different parts of the film, which is why this stylistic device wears off quickly and even becomes a bit distracting. Also the fact that the film could not completely free itself from common clichés and the cause for the right-wing radicalism in Marisa's environment is drawn very superficially, clouds the overall impression of the film, which is positive in itself.
This is a pity, because both director David Wnendt and Alina Levshin have researched intensively for this film, which is then very noticeable in many moments. It is in these moments then that Kriegerin is the good and, more importantly, important film that it aspired to be. They are also the moments that remain in the memory for a long time. Granted, the ending is predictable for a long time, not only because of the telltale opening sequence. And some of the dramaturgical twists come across as a bit contrived. But in the end, it's all about the film's message, which is intensely conveyed by Alina Levshin's impressive performance alone.
Warrior may have its flaws. But in the end, David Wnendt has succeeded in making an important, brave and depressing film that has won multiple awards for a reason. For those who appreciate German arthouse dramas of the challenging kind, this work can be warmly recommended, despite its less successful aspects.
Picture + Sound:The DVD's picture emphasizes the authentic look of the drama with its rather sober color scheme. Image sharpness and contrast tuning are on a good to very good level, the noticeable weaknesses in the scenes filmed with cell phone camera are intentional stylistic device and therefore do not fall negatively into the weight. The sound also leaves a good impression, whereby the rather quiet action is broken up only now and then by music, smaller ambient noises and minimal surround effects. Good!
Extras: The somewhat scant making of is interesting, as are the interviews and brief look at the filming. Plus the trailer, some educational materials, and more programming tips from the provider. Good!
Conclusion: Warrior Woman is an intense drama that, while not entirely free of clichés, comes across as a bit unwieldy and superficial at times. But the bold, powerful acting of lead actress Alina Levshin makes this, at its core, very important film absolutely worth watching, despite its flaws. The interesting bonus material also ensures that the technically well-realized DVD is thoroughly recommended for fans of demanding, challenging German arthouse cinema!
Ein Artikel von Frankfurt-Tipp
