Berlin Syndrome (2017)

   

Directed by: Cate Shortland

Written by: Shaun Grant
Melanie Joosten (Novel) 

Starring:

Teresa Palmer  .... Clare Havel
Max Riemelt .... Andi Werner 

Release Dates: Sundance Film Festival: January 20, 2017; Berlin International Film Festival: February 14, 2017; Glasgow Film Festival: February 17, 2017; Imagine Film Festival: April 15, 2017; Calgary Underground Film Festival: April 22, 2017; Neuchatel International Fantastic Film Festival: July 3, 2017; MOTELX - Lisbon International Horror Film Festival: September 8, 2017

 

Rating:

 

An Australian journalist Clare Havel (Teresa Palmer) travels to Germany and meets up with a school teacher Andi Werner (Max Riemelt) in which they have a brief romance but however he prevents her from leaving his suite.

 

When I started watching this flick invlving the Australian tourist Clare Havel exploring Germany and partying with other situations like this I had a feeling that I was in for a bad movie as things looked totally dull while watching all of this unravel making moments looking uttery pointless to watch.
Then she meets up with Andi Werner and they hit it off together and there's even a lustful scene with one another as this was boring me to death as well as wondering to when the horror will come into the picture.
The horror eventually starts to happen when Clare realises that she's locked in but it didn't leave a chill down my spine the first time but yet the psychological moments started to pile up more and more so for what was happening to her while she's being trapped there but still the story was incredibly bland and slow. Yet some inteinsity and the odd terror comes into the picture when she struggles against him.
Yet while watching more of the scene's unravel I spot her planning something deadly against him in order to try and escape as it did make me watch in suspense wondering if she will make it out as well as good fast action camera shots on all of this. Yet I got a sinking feeling that her plan will fail and boy do things look painful and intense for her by what he does to her. However, none of this saves the movie from bombing at the same time.
Then I spot a moment when he teaches his class and he stares strangely at one of his students making me wonder if she will be next for his victim since this scene was a real attention grabber. 
There are other moments when he grieves a death and she sympathises for him which made me wonder if she fell in love with him but yet I had a feeling that she will try to do something else to escape from holding her hostage.
I spotted a situation when she burns herself on a stove which made me wonder if she will try and do something to him which were hints on her trying to escape once again as well as trying to get someone to get her out of his suite but yet this backfires like in any horror film and things are brutal and deadly when this moment occurs. 
New years happens as he acts charming towards another woman which left a sinking feeling that he has deadly plans for her if she gives in to him. This was well put into the story. But the film was still bland regardless. 
Then quarter way through she has a plan to get one of his students to notice his deep and dark secrets while she asks to be dismissed which seems to have the ball rolling a bit and was a pleaser for a vengeful plot due to his evil deeds. I must admit that this moment looked well done.
Bottom line is that the film doesn't have enough scares or suspense to be enjoyable as the story drags big time and it's terribly slow. Plus it was very long too and couldn't wait till it ended. I must admit that it was very psychological but so are many other horror flicks that have alot more class than this one. Skip it.

The acting is well performed but only two main cast members were involved here so I will review on what I have to say about them..... Teresa Palmer  (Clare Havel) seemed to do her role in a convincing way and was clear within her speech as well as someone whom has a believeable friendly type of attitude too. Does a nice job with her intensity and aggressions as well as showing a good fearful behavior too. She was on the ball big time by acting this way and it came across naturally. I found that she was a true force of nature within whatever she had to do here. 
Max Riemelt
 (Andi Werner) knew his stuff to have a deceiving and charming behavior as well as coming across as creepy by what he does later on in the story. Was also great with his menacing attitude too. He showed a good hyped up energy when he is doing something deadly or acting violent. Also knew on how to have a coldness in his speaking too. 

There are butt and breast shots on Teresa Palmer when she is doing a lustful scene or in other spots like when showering or forced to have pics taken of her.

Hand is bloodily stabbed.
Fingers are bloodily snapped. 
Person is bloodily whacked by a crowbar.

Bryony Marks composed the music for this flick which I wasn't too fond of as it sounded rather bland and uninspired with spacey type of music for a lustful moment as I was thinking to myself that it ruined the scene. The odd times there was effective music especially a quarter way through involving the character Andi when the tables are about to be turned on him having deep sounds which worked in well but that was about it.