1 Truly worth seeing!
This was truly a surprise and a nice one, at that! The story goes through many transitions but takes you along by the hand while it resolves itself. It wasn't predictable in the sense where it follows a cookie-cutter hollywood type format. Thank Tom Tykwer for that. Most of the actors from Run Lola Run join him for this film (which creates more familiarity especially for those who play residents in the asylum). None of the actors were "phoning it in" they really dug deep to make it work. The locations were superb and there are some unique camera moves. I'm very glad they chose to NOT dub this film. You really appreciate the actor once you hear their voice and their intonation. Dubbing belongs in monster-attack-Tokyo films.
2 Beware!
The actual film is definitely not dubbed in English, unlike the one that's written on the Amazon's "DVD Features." Got fooled, again. The "commentary by director and cast," however, is in English: I liked it. It is no excuse, nonetheless, especially since I am not wild about reading subtitles, and paid 'ready' money for it. This is a movie, correct, not a novel?
3 This movie is among the top five ever made
"Princess" triggered the old water works, by no means an easy feat with me. I was in Blockbuster recently and the checkout guy told me I was renting out my 500th video. That made me feel vaguely ashamed, considering that most movies are junk. Every once in a while though, we discover a gem that justifies all the crapola that insults our intelligence. This is one such gem. Look at my other reviews; I don't hand out five stars all that often. Instead, I usually trash movies, as most of 'em deserve.
Besides the very moving scenes that will raise goosebumps on anybody with a pulse, what I love about this film is the originality and meticulous care and planning that went into every aspect. I have never seen a movie remotely like this. The language barrier (German) was rapidly overcome by the expressive acting, so universal that a person of any land can understand. The nurse (the same actress who played in "Run, Lola, Run", a good film also) is easily among the best actresses in the world.
[WARNING-PLOT ELEMENTS REVEALED IN THIS PARAGRAPH.] In a nutshell, a thief saves the life of a nurse during a traffic accident. Then he exits from her life. After her recovery, she returns to her rather boring passionless life at a psychiatric hospital, but she cannot overcome her longing for this mysterious man. Next begins her struggle to find, and once finding, to win over this indifferent, hostile warrior who is tormented by nightly visitations from a dead girlfriend.
Now I will place a little caveat here. I loaned this out to a Mormon acquaintance and all she could say was how horrified she was that the nurse performs a sexual act which she judged gratuitous. If that sort of thing bothers you, definitely avoid. Look at Linda Linguvic's review below, and contemplate the typical female aversion to non-conformity, to anything out of the ordinary not produced by market-tested formula. She is a "Top 50" reviewer as I write this, so obviously many people share her "aversions" to "strange" movies. I am only a "top 32,000" reviewer and receive a large proportion of "Not Helpful" votes from people who disagree with me. But this movie made me cry, and I can count the movies that do that on one hand, and I have watched thousands.
If Hollywood's formula drivel leaves you cold, and you like Romance, then give this German gem a spin.
4 Everyone seemed insane, including the writer and director
This recent German film was written and directed by Tom Tykwer who brought us "Run Lola Run" a few years ago and which I loved. I expected at least the same quality. However, I was disappointed.
Franka Potante stars as "Sissi", a nurse in a psychiatric hospital. Because of a freak accident, she is trapped under a truck. Benno Furmann, a bank robber, discovers her and saves her life. She has stopped breathing and he has to do an emergency tracheotomy. She lives, but becomes obsessed with him. He tries to keep her away but she keeps coming back.
In the meantime, there is a bank robbery going on, a lot of weird scenes in the mental hospital, and some post-modern type directing that made me constantly wonder what was real and what was unreal. Often, I just thought that everyone in the film was insane, including the writer and director.
The film is too long even though it moves fast and seems to get lost within itself. And, by the conclusion, I wasn't sure what had happened. Yes, it is artistic. But in was so incoherent that I soon lost interest. And yes, the acting was excellent. However, it was just so strange that I just can't recommend it.
5 Moving Drama of Life and Fate
This is the story of saving lives -- physically and spiritually. Sissi is a nurse in a psychiatric hospital who is fated to connect, on several occasions, with Benno, a "warrior" (actually, a former soldier) with a dead soul. As the film progresses, the lives of these characters and even other, more minor characters intersect. The plot weaves together the various individual threads of the characters' lives. The characters fall into each others lives seemingly by coincidence, but one senses that there is a guiding hand putting each character in the right place at the right time. This is a much more thoughtful film than "Love, Actually," which uses the same device of connecting seeimingly unrelated characters.
While this film has correctly been criticized by viewers as slow moving, there is a lot to like here. There are some incredible scenes. The manner in which Sissi's life is saved, and the place, is unforgettable -- it is something I've never seen before in any film. The patients in the psychiatric hospital accurately reflect their love for Sissi through the prism of their various illnesses. At bottom, though, this film is about escape (from empty, soul-destroying lives) and redemption (through love).
After watching the film, be sure to listen to the audio commentaries, which provide a great deal of insight into the making of various scenes and what Tykwer was attempting to accomplish.
6 Very imaginitive, very slow.
This movie has got to be one of THE slowest moving films I have ever seen. It has more meaningful glances than The Lord of the Rings, which really is what takes up the majority of the time. It was beautifully shot and has an interesting storyline, but also almost had me falling asleep.
Now, I certainly do not dislike movies where there is not copius action. I loved Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Girl with a Pearl Earring. When the non action does nothing to develop the storyline, I have a problem. There is not a lot of character development in this movie, despite how much time there is to do it. I didn't really end up understanding or knowing the charcter of Sissi by the end. Bodo was more well done because we ended up actually seeing more fragments of his past life. With Sissi we only see her mother speaking to her once.
There is an air of mystique and magic around this film, and I do appreciate that. It was beautiful and over all not bad. I just did not feel that I ended up knowing the main character. Because of the title, one could presume that there does not to be too much character development because these people are supposed to be archetypes, but with the way the storyline played out I felt that it was important.
7 What a mess!
Very disappointing, esp. compared to the director's previous film, "Run Lola Run."
This one is slow and tediously artsy/psychological, requiring monumental suspension of disbelief throughout...full of simply preposterous things like security guards who are unable to shoot and in fact are disarmed by the protagonists calmly approaching them with a "you couldn't really kill a human being, could you?" rap. This is like the kind of egregiously bad film you'd expect from someone in their first semester of film school and devoid of a decent producer and film editor to trim off all the suffocating fat. Methinks Tykwer may've gotten a bit too cocky after the success of "Run Lola Run."
The camera work and cinematography is arresting from time to time, but there are way too many lingering closeup shots of the main characters looking troubled, experiencing DEEP EMOTIONS, pondering and pondering (what? their next bowel movement, perhaps---in classical European style their expressions certainly have a please-somebody-give-me-some-ExLax quality to them).
Franka Potente plays the most popular nurse in a mental hospital who spends most of the movie trying to get to the mysterious man who saved her life after an accident that he caused, and like her Mystery Man also has plenty of deep dark secrets of her own but not quite as Byronic as Mystery Man's own of course.
In the end we see the redeeming and transformative power of love do its work on the poor guy but not really---the character development is very very thin which makes the characters' actions even less believable than the story already is.
I suppose what the old saw that every writing teacher loves is also apropos to film-making: SHOW, not tell. This film only does the latter, despite it being a very SHOW-friendly medium, hence as a film it is a complete dud. It self-consciously aims for mythic signficance (see the title) but achieves the entertainment level of a mediocre made-for-TV movie at best.
8 Windows to the Soul
"Endlessly imaginative and unpredictable...A dazzling fable of love, destiny and redemption." Kevin Thomas / Los Angeles Times. There are many terrific reviews about this movie that I deeply appreciate. (Cdset's review was the reason I bought this.) I'm happy how it touches people. TPATW is one of the best films I've ever seen in many regards. The artistry and symbolism (especially in the scenes with water--notice how Tykwer opens and closes the film with water, plus many more times it is used as if to punctuate a unforgettable moment in time such as in the falling rain); the music that always encapsulates the many moods of the film but most of all, is how much is expressed without words by the eyes of the actors. It is extremely impressive and profoundly amazing to me how much the viewer can interpret through the eyes of the actors. TPATW is an accomplishment to Tykwer, such a visionary director and a man of details that understands the eyes are windows to the soul. If only more movies were like this with so much expression in the eyes and body movements. Also the camera work is amazing. I love one of the opening scenes at the bridge with an upside down shot that rotates 180 degrees on Benno Furmann.
The Princess and the Warrior is one of my all-time favorite movies for countless reasons, too many to name here, but I wanted to highly recommend it. It has English subtitles but they don't speak fast so you can read the short lines and still thoroughly enjoy the film.
* What I take from this movie is that Anything can happen if it is Meant to be and it reminds me that often choices are right even though they may appear wrong to others because no one knows my heart but myself and God, and most of all, as Sissi says in the movie, "Nothing's meaningless."
Please, don't miss this movie.
Soar!
9 "Der Krieger und die Kaiserin" an edgy journey
"Der Krieger und die Kaiserin" (the literal translation is The Empress and the Warrior, but the director preferred "princess" for the English version) is the sixth film from young German director Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run). I'd looked at the DVD several times before, curious, but when I finally watched it, I was disturbed by several gory scenes and the dark tone of the picture. However, like driving by a brutal accident, you can't help but look. This film was the same way for me...it haunted me for days until I sat down and watched it again with a new appreciation for Mr. Tykver's craft.
Instead of giving away any of the plot, you have to see the film for yourself to make sense of the multiple storylines. I will say that fate and destiny are at the heart of the film. "The Princess and the Warrior" runs a little over two hours, and does feel like it could have benefited from tighter editing in spots. There are several disturbing sequences (a sexual act between a nurse and a patient, an emergency tracheotomy, suicide attempts, murder) that are definitely not for the faint of heart (hence the R rating).
The story is slow to unfold, but ultimately rewarding. Instead of the intense energy that bathed Run Lola Run, The Princess and the Warrior is more subdued; a downward spiral of depression, dark desires, painful secrets, and finally, redemption by love. The haunting music (composed by Tykwer) perfectly complements the melancholic tension onscreen---single heavy piano notes fading into silence, bells, and the eerie theme song "You Can't Find Peace" (the music video is included on the DVD).
The DVD transfer deserves an A+. Great care was taken in terms of menu design (although the chapter menu can be a bit confusing at first) and extras (making of, numerous deleted scenes, music video, cast (Franka Potente, Benno FŸrmann) and director's commentary, filmographies, trailers and more). The making of, like most making ofs, includes more shots from the actual film than behind-the-scenes (and is entirely in German to boot). If you want to hear the real scoop, be sure to listen to the various audio commentaries. The commentaries are generally fun and interesting (all the cast and crew speak near-native English), and the actors talk about scene motivation, grueling shoots, and funny memories from the set. I would recommend renting this movie before purchasing it, as it will only appeal to a certain audience.
10 Another masterpiece of Tom Twyker
Within the beginning of the movie, you can obviously see Tom Tykwer `s fingerprint over every single frame. It is very RUN LOLA RUN alike, thou totally different as a movie plot. What I didn't like about this movie, was its pace. Very slow, but maybe my sympathy for Franka Potente ( Sissi ) , made me decide whether or not I am going to see this movie until the end. Interesting cinematography, a must see for every filmmaker. I was "so and so" about the movie until the end, the very last 10 minutes of it, which were AMAZING. So if you get bored during it, it's OK, but please wait and see its ending. It is really a work of art. Tom Tykwer made the German cinema a bigger giant. By far, the best performance of Franka Potente ever since RUN LOLA RUN. This movie also reminded me of "Happenstance" the one with Audry Tattoo (Amelie). Because of the "coincidences" in it. You really have to put this movie on the "MUST SEE LIST".
11 Another one from Herr Tykwer.
Franka Potente, star of the international hit Run Lola Run, returns in another strange and incomparably excellent film from the director of Run Lola Run, Tom Tykwer. This time Potente plays Sissi, a beautiful young intern in a mental hospital who happens to save the life of a stranger named Bodo (Benno FŸrmann) when he is struck by a bus. Sissi can't get him out of her mind, and their lives become entwined as she tries to pull him out of his own dark depression and get him to stop blaming his wife's death on himself.
I won't give the ending away, but rest assured it is fabulous. I've seen several German films, but this is by far one of my favorites. Franka Potente was great in Run Lola Run, but she and Tom Tykwer both outdo themselves with this masterpiece.
12 Sprechen Sie Deutsch?
Run Lola Run would be a hard act to follow, but German actress Franka Potente has out done herself again. She potrays a young nurse at a mental hospital, whose life is semi dull until she gets in an accident, and meets her soul mate. She then goes on a journey looking for her savior, hoping it will change her boring life. Together they struggle through many situations, while overcoming there own personal demons.
If you liked Run Lola Run, or just looking for a deep movie buy The Princess and the Warrior. I am a German major in college, and have watched many German movies, this is by far the best!
13 One of my favourite sentimental movies in the whole world.
This is an excellen movie from Tom Tykwer after the Run lola movie. Franka and Benno Fuermann are very good actors and make the watcher believe every part they play. The story is very deep and very great filmed. I love also the music. The main title is sung by skin (skunk anansie) and to hear at the end of the film, called "you can't find peace".
14 Not just another heist movie. [4.5+ stars]
Two individuals cross paths in a most unlikely manner: after Sissi, a psych ward nurse, gets struck down by a truck Bodo, a disturbed and violent man, runs to her safety and saves her life. From this point in time both of their lives become forever intertwined, although not always in a healthy and positive manner. While Bodo just wants to let events rest in the past Sissi becomes obsessed with him and won't leave him alone. She frequently ponders whether her rescue of Bodo was an act of fate or coincidence, and as the events of this film unravel the audience is also perplexed at the true meaning.
Meanwhile Bodo and his brother are planning a bank heist and desperately wish that Sissi would leave them both alone, even to the point of throwing her out in the middle of a rain storm. But Sissi is relentless to reach out to the disturbed Bobo and the demons that lay in his head.
There is little doubt that this is a dark and twisted film -- but at the same time it is entertaining and engrossing. The character development is finely executed resulting in a finely tuned film full of action, emotion, and depth. It's a shame that I never heard of this DVD only until recently. Why? It truly deserves more publicity and praise. Highly recommended.
15 Sissi and Lola
In the film, "Run Lola Run", Tom Tykwer challenges to the cinematic male gaze. One year later Tykwer made this film and he challenges it again. Compare to Lola, Sissi is a totally different character. Unlike to Lola, Sissi follows the Hollywood heroin image by how she dresses. However, after Sissi meets Benno, She also becomes a hero to save Benno like Lola saving Manni. The difference between Lola and Sissi is that Lola is more like a super woman. Lola wants to save Manni by herself. On the other hand, Sissi is an ordinary woman who wants to help Benno out. Because Sissi and Benno are connected to each other by feeling loneliness so toward the end, they help and support each other to get away. Unlike Lola couldn't save Manni, Sissi could save Benno. I think that although Sissi and Benno are both lonely, Sissi is mentally stronger than Benno because he suffers from his past. Benno needs Sissi's help and he accepts her help but Manni asked Lola for a help but he solves himself. Even though Sissi succeeds to help Benno, does he have to be mentally weak? In this film, Benno cries a lot. The situations of Lola and Sissi are different but they are in the same situation that females cannot act as same as male roles do. If this film was made of a continuation of "Run Lola Run", Tykwer might be telling us that although Sissi could be a hero, the situation hasn't been changed.
16 Excellent
This is a wonderful, but slightly disturbing movie. The translation is not that good, but do-able. Wonderful acting and character development. A MUST see. And buy.
17 If you like
This film is beautiful and transcendent. In all aspects, this art is of the highest caliber and deepest significance.
18 Fantastischer Film!
_The Princess and the Warrior_ offers great characters, an interesting story line, and great cinematography and direction. Like many others, I saw _Run Lola Run_ first, and liked it very much. This film had more character development and seems to be a more introspective and philosophical than Lola.
Potente carries the film with her portrayal of a sanitorium nurse, Sissi. She is a strong lead and can show a great range of emotions. The character of Bodo Riemer, played by FŸhrmann, also gave a great performance as an ex-soldier who is recovering from the death of his wife. He is emotionally distant, and has fallen into a life of crime. A freak accident brings the two together, and Bodo ends up saving Sissi's life. After Sissi's long recovery, she sets out to find Bodo, believing that they are meant to be together. Bodo cannot move on from his past, and Sissi is rejected many times.
This movie is not a typical boy-meets-girl romance, rather, it is about fate, and how things can change in a split second. I highly recommend this film!
19 Tykwer is masterful with the handling of fate.
Tom Tykwer has become one of my favorite film directors and screenwriters. "The Princess and The Warrior" was an excellent film in all aspects: story, characterization, cinematography, score, actors' performances. I recommend it for those who believe in fate, a journey of personal and interpersonal growth of two people, whose lives are not merely convenient or coincidental. Tykwer knows how to tell stories with his cameras' views, how to keep you guessing (wrong many times), how to intrigue with sentiment and hope without being artificial or cloyingly cheap, how to intermix physical external reality with the surrrealness of a person's perceptions of reality.
The plot was intricately constructed, all scenes linked, all characters having a history and purpose. The characters, you care about them, you are invested in them. (One of my major complaints about the majority of US films.) It's often difficult to describe films like this, because you don't want to give away the plot, but even so, the film's message transcends a plot fulfillment. It has an epic feel, without being an epic, because the characters are transformed both within and outward, a magnitude of understanding transgressed, yet the plot moves briskly. Chaos and reconstruction, on all fronts, plenty of fodder for thought. For those who like to think, and those who enjoy a good "suspense drama," this was a wonderfully executed plan, a hybrid of "Run Lola Run" and "Heaven" in theme and style.
(P.S. might I facetiously add, the main guy has beautifully rich blue eyes, an intensity mixed with confused innocence, and the most absurdly hot life-saving maneuver I have ever seen in a movie.)
4 1/2 of 5 stars.
20 The Princess and the Warrior
Immpressive: a one word summary for this movie.
After seeing Potente in "Run Lola Run" and "The Bourne Identity" (the movie that got her noticed in America), I had to see this one. Those who liked "Lola" will be twice as impressed. An enjoyable plot, a climatic story.
It shows how your life can change in a second.
21 My new favorite movie
5 stars doesn't even begin to stand for how good this movie is.
22 Torn Through my Senses
I was literally in an expanse of my emotions while watching this film. I had no preconcieved wishes for any of the characters. Tom Tykwer directs the movie in such a way you need not attempt hope for all the plot explores which is how to live life fullest. The camera shots keeps the watcher in a position of overview and at the same time reverts to shots of internalization within the characters. This film successfully keeps fluid character study while actions of the plot contine. See this film with someone you can discuss it with afterward.
23 princess and the warrior..=5 stars
this movie is very interresting, its deep, and doesn't flow like other movies do. Thats what makes it really good and also the actors are awesomely great, Beno is sooooo hot!
24 Who watches German films?
I do!
I got The Princess and the Warrior from a local library on a lark. Subtitled films are favorite choices of mine, so it wasn't terribly unusual. Only, I had never seen a German film.
The story, revolving around two protaganists, an insane-aslyum nurse and a retired army man, develops with what I've discovered is a very European way. The Princess is searching for love, a thing she was denied when her mother died. Her father had been one of the inmates, but it was unknown who. The Warrior inadvertantly causes an accident that leaves the Princess in a hospital for months where she is left to fall in love with the man who saved her life - the Warrior.
After being released from the hospital, she realizes that her life in the asylum is terribly lonely - almost unbearable. The Princess tracks down the mystery man who saved her, much to his chagrin. The Warrior and his brother botch a bank robbery that the Princess somehow wound up involved in, necessitating their need to hide away in the asylum where the Warrior begins to fall in love with the Princess. After a suspenseful ending, the two are left to live their lives happily ever after in a cottage by the sea.
The film was remarkably well acted for such an oddity of a story. The story's very able tackling of the subject of lost love and first love meeting and uniting was not a disappointment, either. The characterizations, the atmosphere, and the dialogue were all right on cue, so to speak. All in all, The Princess and the Warrior is an excellent piece of film-making.
25 real surreal
An interesting visual story based on a very unlikely set of circumstances. A metaphor for people who are not who they seem to be and who are living lives that do not reflect who they really are.
A really good alter ego for Franka as compared to Run Lola Run or the recent Bourne Identity.
26 Mixed Feelings...
Like most people who saw this movie, I came to it with a lot of preconceptions from having seen Tom Tykwer's earlier film, "Run, Lola, Run." Although it's unfair to compare the two movies, it's almost impossible not to, as they both have the same director, the same lead actoress, many thematic similarities, similar music, and a similar cinematic 'look' to them.
Whereas "Run, Lola, Run" is practically seamless, however, "Princess and the Warrior" has plenty of seams and odd transitions that occasionally jerk you out of the flow. At times, it feels like Tykwer was uncertain which way he wanted the story to go, as there are many different directions and they don't all seem to fit together. For example, there is the bank-robbery-gone-wrong, which feels like the climactic scene but actually comes about 2/3 through the movie. Then there's the inner conflicts that drive the two central characters. The conflict for the lead male works pretty well because it's established relatively early on in the film and has time to develop. Granted, the last-minute revelation about the accident feels a bit unnecessary and contrived, but it's no big deal.
The lead female's backstory, however, is not even hinted at until almost the end of the movie, so that the revelation about how her mother died that is tacked on just 10 minutes later really lacks any dramatic punch.
Ultimately, there' s a lot to like about this movie. There are some neat ideas, some great filmwork, etc. The scene with the blind guy in the gun-shop, in particular, is excellent. But it's a movie that never quite gels and if you're hoping for another "Run, Lola, Run," you're bound to be disappointed.
27 Gorgeous
This is a beautiful movie, and I definitely prefer it over Run, Lola, Run. The story is fascinating, and the characters are very involving. I wish I knew German so I didn't have to leave the subtitles on!
28 Excelent Film
This is one of the most amazing films I've seen in a long time. Im involved with a foreign film class, and this movie brings about endless amounts of discussion and will be enjoyed by all!
29 Good But Not THAT Good!!
In terms of suspense, this movie scored highly for you wouldn't know for certain where it is heading. You wanted to figure out why the female interest in this movie is so fascinated with the guy, & you questioned if they are to fall for one another in the end, and you also tried to reason why the guy is forever mournful, & so forth. Whilst both of them came from different background (one was a small time criminal & another a psychiatric nurse), both of them were devoid of a life, a normal life to say the least. Her psychiatric patients were attached to her, to the extent that she's like their surrogate mother, to the extent that she couldn't live a life of her own. The guy, on the other hand was forever living in the past where he couldn't go over the fact that he was to be blamed for his wife's demise. In the end, suffice to say that the movie was about letting go & moving on with our lives. To a certain degree, this reminded me of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" & the minor niggle that I found in this movie was that it was rather slow going. In other words, what that could be explained in one minute took ten minutes. At the end of the day, it boiled down to if you are expecting the unexpected, then this would suit you but if you were into an exciting thriller for a rainy night, maybe there are better selections out there. Still, this is one of the cinema's highlight. Commendable effort.
30 Frana Potente Makes Another Mark
On the heels of "Run, Lola, Run" (LOLA RENNT in German) is a fascinating tale of happenstance and coincidence. Here we find the lives of Sissi, a nurse at a Sanitorium, and Bodo, a former Bundeswehr (Army) soldier, cross underneath a tanker truck that has run Sissi over. Bodo performs a jacknife and soda straw tracheotomy. This leads to a psychological melodrama in which Sissi searches for meaning in the saving of her life, and reaches to pull Bodo out of a case of severe post-traumatic stress. The direction and cinematography are spellbinding, and the portrayals of the committed rival those of Ken Kesey's "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" (alas, the time of such protective institutions in the United States is long gone). Franka Potente puts in another spellbinding performance in a German film and shows again that, properly directed, she can carry a film herself without the trappings of Hollywood co-stars. Very highly recommended!
31 A Beautiful, Modern Fairytale
Do not allow yourself to be intreagued mearly because the star and director of the ulta-cool, fate driven action film "Run Lola Run" have reunited. I'm sure by this point you've heard that this film is entirely different, but it's worth repeating. While as with Lola, fate seems to have a hand in the events, it takes on a much more dramatic tone.
The basic premis of the story it that Sissi (Potente), who works at a mental hospital, is hit by a truck, and her life is saved by Bodo (Furmann) while he's on the run (literally) for stealing. After a long recouperation, she returns to work, and strives to find her savior, with the help of a button and a blind man. He however, Bodo has no interest in socializing with her.
Sissi is shown as a princess, living in a castle-like mental hospital, where she holds power over her patients. Bodo is an ex-army man, living atop a hill in a small, dirty shack, who dreams of a better life for himself and his brother.
While it is an apt comparison to say it resembels a fairy tale, this film goes significantly deeper than that, with Bodo's obviously symbolic crying and the somewhat surprising and odd metaphoric ending. It's an excelent film, and the stylish direction makes it a movie that I find myself re-watching alot more that I'd expected.
32 Unexpectedly brilliant follow-up to Run Lola Run
Upon seeing "Run Lola Run" at Sundance, I was immediately taken away with Tom Tykwer's visual stylizations, his camerawork, and his music. A hyperkinetic reality was played out and the audience gave the film a standing ovation. It was a breathtaking moviegoing experience.
My expectations for "The Princess and the Warrior" were set high, but nothing prepared me for the impact this film had. An even better film than "Run Lola Run", "Princess" deals directly with issues of fate, chance, and circumstance; this is a movie Kieslowski would have loved. Tykwer takes his themes from "Run Lola Run" and extends them, building on them, creating a juggernaut of emotions. From the intense tracheotomy scene (graphically filmed but poignant at the same time) to the nail-biting climax, "Princess" never fails to provoke the mind or heart.
If there is a flaw in the film, it would have to be the a ten-minute section when our heroine Sissi (Potente) takes her "warrior" to the asylum. For a brief time, the film's plot seems to pause for some character realization. Apart from that, the film doesn't let up. It drives with its pulsating music (scored by Tykwer and co.), it challenges your ideals with its story, and it makes you care about the characters in the end. During its "Thelma & Louise"-type climax, I nearly screamed out in terror. These two characters get to your heart and during the final ten minutes, a wide variety of emotions pours through the screen. When the credits roll, you're virtually left drained of energy, and yet thrilled at the same time.
Tom Tykwer amazingly improved his storytelling skills with his "Run Lola Run" follow-up, and this will hopefully not be shuffled away to the dark corners of Blockbuster. A powerful, thought-provoking experience, Tykwer's film is everything we could ever want from a Hollywood feature--minus the Hollywood. Released in the U.S. in 2001, it landed my treasured #1 spot for Best Film of the Year. Don't take my word for it though. Rent it and see for yourself.
33 a good depressing love story
i realy liked this movie!franka potente was great in this movie and so was benno furmann. it did seem depressing that bodo lost his wife and that he didnt want sissi,but it all came 2gether to become a great love story!usualy i hate foreign films but i enjoyed the princess and the warrior,and anatomie(also staring franka potente and benno furmann!! the princess and the warrior isnt bad for 2 hours of your time!!!!!!
34 can she really love him story
The Princess and the Warrior
I watch movies to think and to feel new things. Things which in my life I will probably never be able to experience firsthand. Most hollywood movies are escapist and discourage critical thought, luckily this movie is not hollywood-made. It pulls you into the protagnoist's lives in a surrealist way. As the other reviewers have aptly pointed out the music and the filming are terrific, adding to the suspense and the viewer's involvement. It lacked only plausible explanation/connections at a few critical points which decreased the believable factor.
If you liked run lola run, you will love this.
35 Thoughtful and Intelligent Filmmaking
I have to admit, I rented this one by accident, but it turned out to be a fortuitous accident. I wouldn't have discovered this kinetic, moving and enjoyable film otherwise. The performances were real, in the cinema verite sense, but also dead on contemporary. Cinematography, one of my personal gauges of quality, is of the highest caliber. The script may drag at times, but there is enough playfulness and artful thrust that the viewer doesn't have time to become acutely bored. Owes a bit to the Inmates taking over the institute genre, re King of Hearts and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest, but also draws on myriad other sources, including Goddard and other new wave directors. Would include it in the must rent category, though the buying option presents a more ambiguous dilemma
BEK
36 Another superb film from Tykwer
When I saw that this film was from the same director of "Run Lola Run", and featured the same actor, Franka Potente, I figured I had nothing to lose by watching it. Boy, am I glad I did. This film is so rich in plot and subplots, romance without blatant sex, suspense, action, insights into how we become who we are. It is all tied together quite nicely at the end, with all your questions answered, even the ones you didn't think to ask. And beyond that is the acting which is superb with a minimalist approach to dialogue. Franka Potente's portrayal of Sissi is one of the best performances I have seen in years, I would watch absolutely anything she does. A healer who needs to be healed at the same time, I was enraptued with her character almost from the beginning of the film. Altogether different pace, and to me a more enjoyable film than "Run Lola Run".
37 franka potente and benno furmann rock again
Having seen both Run Lola Run and The Princess and the Warrior for the first time in the same night, I got an appreciation for the similarities and the differences in these movies. They are both the same director, same starring actors, many of the same supporting actors, and I believe the same composer as well. And although both movies deal with similar themes:destiny, love, loss...the movies themselves could not be more different. However, I love them both equally and anyone saying this movie is not as good as Lola just doesn't have the patience to think about it. More dialogue does not mean more content, it just means more words. Many scenes were effectively enhanced with near-silence. The chemistry between these two actors (they have now starred in 3 movies together) is amazing, and no one can deny that it is there. I only hope to see more from all involved.
38 Fantastic!
Well I didn't have the benefit of watching Run Lola Run before watching the Princess and the Warrior so I didn't have anything to compair it to since I've NEVER seen anything like it! I loved it! Seriously, it has to be one of the best movies I've seen and it's defenetly on my favourites list.
I thought that all the characters were enjoyable and I didn't mind the subtitles one bit... actually I thought it added to it. I mean, listening to badly dubbed English is terrible! I hate it. Subtitles are defenetly the way to go.
But what I loved most about this movie was that is nothing like any films that you'll find in North America. North American films are always so predicatable but in the Princess and the Warrior I found myself hoping against hope that in the end everything would be ok. You have no idea what's going to happen next and I like that in a movie and that quality is way to rare in North American movies these days.
So all I can really say that if you watch the Princess and the Warrior, you defenetly won't be disapointed. It's a good movie with interesting ideas and wonderful symbolism. It's worth a watch!
39 Worth a look for the curious
Another movie from the director and star of the cult hit RUN LOLA RUN . Franka Portente plays Sissi, a nurse who is injured in a car accident but is saved by a criminal who, in a gruesome scene performs an emergency tracheotomy on her with a Swiss Army knife and a drinking straw. After her recovery Sissi sets out to find him and thank him for saving her life, but she discovers he doesn't want to know her. However little do they know their paths will cross again in a bank robbery.
Despite sounding interesting PRINCESS AND THE WARRIOR is absorbing only in fits and starts and is mostly dull and overlong to boot. Director Tom Tykwer again makes full use of elaborate camerawork, but this only helps up to a certain point. That said, the movie is still worth a look, if only for curiosity's sake.
40 Strange and wonderful
After watching Franka Potente in "Run, Lola, Run," I decided that I would have to watch for any other films she made. She is obviously so different from your average Hollywood female star--it was nothing less than a pleasure to watch her in "Lola," and I just knew she would be in other films I would enjoy.
I was not disappointed. In "The Princess and the Warrior," Potente plays Sissi, a nurse in a psychiatric hospital. Sissi doesn't know any life outside of the hospital--all of her relationships centre around the place! After a freak accident in which a passer-by, (played by Benno Furmann)saves her, Sissi develops an obsession for her saviour. Benno, it turns out, is a bit of a bad boy, but this doesn't dissuade Sissi from her obsession, but apart from that, he is also the only link she has with humanity outside of the hospital.
I actually enjoyed this film a lot more than "Run, Lola, Run." "The Princess and the Warrior" is a much more serious film.
41 It's No Lola, But Who Cares?
You have to hand it to director Tom Tykwer - he has come out with yet another wonderful film that once again brings him together with the lovely Franka Potente. The two of them together is magic. This time around, Franka plays Sissi, a nurse who works in a mental hospital. She is involved in a terrible accident, and her life is saved by the mysterious stranger Bodo. After he saves her life, he disappears, and suddenly Sissi becomes obsessed with tracking him down to thank him, and to ultimately become a part of his life. He of course wants nothing to do with her, but she is convinced that fate has something cooked up for the two of them. The one problem with this film, and the reason I only gave it 4 stars instead of 5, is that at times the movie seems long and a little slow. At more than 2 hours, that is expected. Some people didn't like it because they compared it to the other Tykwer/Potente film, "Run Lola Run" which was a shorter, faster-moving film. But this is one reason I like this one. No one wants to see the same thing twice. I think it's great Tykwer took a different direction with this film. "The Princess and the Warrior" is a more powerful, serious movie, that can stand to be viewed a couple of times. If you liked Lola, I think you will agree that this is a satisfying film.
42 If you liked Run Lola Run...
If you liked Run Lola Run, that certainly doesn't mean you'll like this film. Tykwer accomplished quite the feat in Run Lola Run. He made a love story so fast-paced and exciting that he could tell it three times in an 80-minute film and keep it interesting from beginning to end.
The Princess and the Warrior is a 135-minute film that tells one story, and it just doesn't work out as well. Obviously, there's nothing wrong with a movie being 135 minutes long, but let me put it in perspective. The average 2-hour movie has 1500 subtitles (Enemy of the State, 131 minutes, has 1762). The Princess and the Warrior has 738 subtitles, which includes non-dialogue subtitles. That's just how little is actually going on in the film -- it has less than half as much dialogue as most films.
To quote an excellent review (from IMDb):
"...the main problem is that slowness is the only means Tykwer has of imparting significance or dramatic weight to the scenes which he feels should be significant or dramatically weighty, and it just so happens that ALL scenes are scenes which he thinks should be significant or dramatically weighty. Characters pause before saying anything, the camera pauses before committing itself, stand-offs go on and on and on ... and while this is going on, NOTHING else is happening, unless it's Tykwer underlining the dialogue with a red pencil, or underlining the tension (which can't be felt) with cascading piano music."
Don't get me wrong. The Princess and the Warrior is a good (sometimes disturbing) story, and I don't have much to add to what people before me have said about that. I just don't think I'll be sitting through it again any time soon.
43 Thoughtful moviemaking
This film first caught my eye when I saw that the film maker and star were the same as in "Run, Lola, Run", a movie I liked but which totally exhausted me with its frenetic pace.
"Princess and the Warrior" was totally different, but equally well done, in my opinion.
The leads, Franka Potente (Sissi) and Benno Furmann (Bodo), were very well-cast and played their roles of unhappy loners with wonderful reality.
Twyker once again used the devices of fate and coincidence - destiny greatly impacting what happens in our lives and connections being everywhere. Repeated connections between the main characters soon become more than just coincidence. He also explores the ideas/themes of death, life, redemption, guilt, good, evil, and fear.
In the course of the film, Sissi grows and changes as she tries to convince Bodo that fate threw them together for a reason. He rejects her thinking but his bitterness is only masking what is inside.
Both characters face moral dilemmas as the film progresses and we see what happens from more than one viewpoint. The movie takes on the feel of a pebble thrown into a stream, with the widening circle encompassing characters who had never had any connection before but now are integral to the development of the story. The film is like a puzzle trying to get itself put together.
Despite all the good things about this movie, I felt very detached from it and from the characters. They just did not seem that well-developed to me. Perhaps part of that is the language barrier.
The ending is open to interpretation...something I always like rather than a "pat" conclusion.
44 Absolutely great!
Being a big fan of Franka, I was really excited to see this, it's really graphic in a areas of the film, It is a sub titled film and it's so awesome, A quick run down of the story, Franka almost dies and then is rescued by a man, she falls in love with him and tried to show him that he loves her too, but he's pretty stuborn but can't avoid Franks'a charm for long, all in all it's an absolutely wonderful film.
if you like foreign films, you better add this one to your collection.
45 Great, great Movie!
Ahoi,
in Germany they are already stars and this movie gives the proof: Franka Potente and Benno FŸrmann are as great as the plot and direction of the movie.
The soundtrack is incredibly cool as well, which is produced by Tom Twyker, the best director of Germany. As his companion is Franka and a good friend of Benno, the trio is smashing!
Incredible pictures and effects make you loving every second of the movie, additionbally all the extra features on DVD are amazing as well.
So do yourself a favour and buy this strange lovestory: it is worth it, believe me!
PS: in the movie Anatomy, a well-done psycho-thriller, Franka is acting with Benno FŸrmann again! Also great movie!
46 Perfection
Run Lola Run was a big surprise for me, I had no idea what to expect when I bought it used at Hollywood Video store. Yet even with how much I loved Run Lola Run, the Princess and the Warrior even surpasses it, and in so many ways. For how often is it we see a movie involving young lovers that either A.) Doesn't have Freddy Prinze Jr. in it, B.) Isn't incredibly stupid, C.) Actually develops its characters and D.) Is far from routine? Never. We never see a movie like this, Tom Tywker chooses his characters so carefully and the actors fit their roles so perfectly that we feel one with them through every scene. This movie loves its characters and story too much to fall into a routine romance movie, instead we are left with a stunning view of fate, redemption, destiny and love in some of the most unlikely places. I have not seen a more beautiful romance movie my entire life.
47 The Princess and the Warrior
The Princess and the Warrior was intoxicating! Franka and Benno's performances were brilliant with talent. I fell in love with both of them. More passion and physical contact (just a little) between the two would have taken this movie to a higher level, but, none-the-less, I could watch this movie over and over again.
48 brillian
A few minutes after watching the movie i knew it had made it to my top five list. This is the best movie i have seen in a long time and the best one I will probably see for a long time. Some parts of the movie are hard to watch but that shouldn't turn anybody away from this movie. Fifteen minutes into it, the movie hooked me and I havn't been that emotionally/mentally or physically into a movie, ever. So as you can tell i think you should watch the movie and you should because it's a brilliant piece of work with great music, great cinematography and brilliant acting. enjoy.
49 The "...Nice But..." syndrome in full effect.
First of all compraing this film to Run Lola Run is like comparing Apples and Oranges. These two films appear at completely different ends of the stylistic spectrum due to a delibrate act of ingenuity committed by our beloved culprit Tom Tykwer. He has now officially established himself as talented and versatile director which is an extreamly respectable trait possessed only by a handful of others. The story/script is very interesting and the cinematography is of the highest order. Franka Potente and Benno Furmann do an absolutefully delightful job acting. Even the score is absolutely fantastic and so is the soundtrack.
That being said...my most thrilling moment of the film dawned on me as soon as the the movi ended..i was bored to death! Franka Potente cried constantly throught out the film...i do not remember a scene whe she is actually not crying. Her constant state of sappyness might be important to the film but there are other way to convey sorrow and grief!....may be a sad face, may be some more whiney music...do you have to make her weep all time!
Also this film is way to long!..ther are many moments in the movi where the camera has lingered onto the object its filming for a much longer period of time than necessary. A technique like that sometimes enhanses the effect of a particular scene but not here!...it just made me want to hit the FF button on my remote! Throughtout the film Tykwer has used too many scenes to describe a relatively small aspect of the story line and that just made the film drag into undiscovered areas of my personal lementation.
I can appretiate a good love story every now and then but i just cannot make room in my heart for this one, despite its many plus points. Though i still feel you should watch this movi..by no means i am sujjesting you should skip it.
50 Surely Recommended, But...
I have to admit that cinematography, soundtrack, and acting are stunning in this movie. The whole thing is visually enthralling, and the director is obviously talented. I was so involved in the story that I felt very sad for Sissy's character, masterfully played by the obviously talented Franka Potente, as if she were a real person and I wanted to find her and take care of her.
This being said, and in spite of the fact that I thoroughly recommend this movie, this flick has been depicted as a redemption story, and I cannot help but notice that modern man has a strange notion of the concept of redemption. This is the second modern movie I have seen, the other being "Life as a House," that presents the redemption process untied to its intertwined concept of payment of a price or ransom. After watching the movie, you will realize what I am talking about. Apparently, at the end of the movie, the guy is redeemed. But, if you are redeemed without having all the elements that redemption (by definition) requires, is that true redemption?
51 the princess and the borrier... (was that a word?)
I have read just about all of these reviews, and, yes, I agree that some points about the movie were excellent: the soundtrack, the cinematography, and the acting... I suppose it takes a lot of practice to stare at another person for 2 straight hours. Okay, maybe it was more like just one hour because the characters in it spent just about half the movie doing that. I was somewhat expecting another "Lola," but I found just the opposite; that is, a film that trudged along like molasses. I love Franka Potente, but her makeup was horrible compared to her looks in the aforementioned movie and "Blow." If one was going to watch this movie, they should either be a student of German or someone who is interested in cinematography because those were its only outstanding assets (well, to me at least... of course they speak German well... they're German). Anyway, if you don't mind a lot of silence and melodrama, this is the film for you.
52 sehr gut!
There were many excellent films released in 2001-the Italian 'Malena', French 'La Captive', Mexican 'Amores Peros' etc, but this has to be the best of the bunch. Using an emotive storyline, excellent protagonists (esp the leading male), good camera techniques and nods to the hat of cindarella and Romeo and Juliet (!), this film succeeds in every way. Best film since Trainspotting!!
53 Majestic
This movie is unbelievable! It basically keeps you on the edge of your seat! It is an elegant love story filled with so much drama and passion! The symbolism is full of depth and I caught myself tearing in so many scenes. The movie is thought provoking in terms of how you might view fate and how life can bring you great joy and sometimes great sorrow. The cast is amazing and extremely talented. If you're looking for a movie that stirs your emotions and you don't mind subtitles, then I suggest you see it for yourself.
54 Astonishing
This is easily one of the most powerful, beautiful, and perfect films I have ever seen (and I've seen alot!). Watch it. It is very rare in film to see the mystical handled so well. It is a rather long movie (2 hours) but not too long for the story the director tells.
55 Simply Wonderful
I never thought that any movie, German or not, could top the 1999 film "Run Lola Run" by the same director. To my pleasant surprise, I ended up liking "The Princess and the Warrier" better. Although the plots in each are completely different, they both stick to the theme of fate. The acting is so believable, the filming is amazing, and the plot is full of ups and downs. I was moved to tears while watching this breathtaking film. This is a wonderful film and i HIGHLY reccomend it. * * * * *
56 Long and Sweet
Being a big fan of Run Lola Run, I decide to check out this movie hoping to be satisfied. It actually had me on the edge of my seat a few times....this does not happen very often! For awhile I couldn't get into where the story was going......it was very long....but I think it had reason to be. There were no questions about any of the characters by the end of the film. I'd reccomend this to anyone in search of a good, thrilling journey of determination.
57 Tom Tykwer Biggest Talent out of Germany since Herzog
I've been waiting for a second wave of great German film making and it has arrived. His name is Tom Tykwer and I've seen 3 of his films now, all brilliant, and most importantly, all different! Here is a director who does not need to make the same film over and over again, Thank God. This film has a plot that intersects and characters that intersect and it is the intersections that are the pivotal parts of the film. The greatest intersection occurs between leads Potente and FŸrmann who meet literally when he causes her to be run over by a huge truck. He saves her life. When she recovers, she tracks him down but he won't allow her into his life until fate causes their lives to intersect once again during a bank robbery. I won't say anymore because I could ruin it for you but there are more intersections to come. This is an absolutely wonderful movie. Be grateful that its only intersection with "Run,Lola, Run" is that the director is capable of making 2 equally fabulous but very different movies.
58 Long, disgusting and boring...
this movie is about the opposite of Run Lola Run. It features not only some of the worst, most amatuer attempts at symbolism you will ever see, but also a very disgusting tracheotomy scene, a kid eating glass and so much more (maybe even incest!) all done rather realistically. Really, this movie repulses me. I wanted to like it, but... I give it 2 stars (instead of 1) only because it at least tried to be interesting (though it fails miserably) and even that is something compared to most American movies.
59 One of the best films of 2001....
...and I did see a lot of movies that year.
I would put "The Princess and the Warrior" right up there with "Monster's Ball," "Together," "Shrek," "No Man's Land," and "Faithless."
Both Franka Potente ("Sissi") and Benno Furmann ("Bodo") are talented actors. Potente works best with her facial expressions, and Furmann works best with his physical movements. (I noticed Bodo took a lot of baths in "Princess." This behavior reminded me of Blanche DuBois in "A Streetcar Named Desire." Just as Blanche was trying to cleanse herself from the guilt that she felt towards her late boyfriend, Bodo similarly does the same thing.) I also liked the chemistry between Sissi and Bodo in the movie.
Finally, what can I say about the brilliant director, Tom Tykwer. For right now, I would put him right up there with David O. Russell, Ang Lee, Sam Mendes, and Spike Jonze. He's smart to do close-up shots of Potente's expressive face. As a matter of fact, I noticed a lot of close-up shots in "Princess"--moreso than "Lola." In this way, he reminded me of Ingmar Bergman. The themes of guilt and redemption that Tykwer put into "Princess" also reminded me of Bergman.
I know Tykwer's next film will be in English, starring Cate Blanchett and Giovania Rabisi. I hope he continues to make films with both Franka Potente and Benno Furmann--all 3 of them work well together. Much like Woody Allen and Diane Keaton, Ingmar Bergman and Liv Ullmann, etc.
60 Disappointing
Those who said this was their favorite movie of the year have obviously not seen many good films. It's cinematography was quite mundane. The story had the potential to be interesting, but there was definately something lacking. I was very bored by this movie, though I kept watching with the hope that something cool would happen. It never did.
61 A Feast For the Eyes, Mind and Heart
Like Fellini and Hitchcock, director Tom Tykwer creates films that are both visually and intellectually striking. No exception is his exhilirating and mystical "The Princess and the Warrior", a film about fate, karma, soulmates and healing.
The main characters, Sissy and Bobo, are two lost souls who discover that their destinies are utterly intertwined, and that each is the key to solving thr other's dilemma. With each other's support and assistance, both are able to begin the healing process, leave behind their painful histories, and start anew.
Tykwer masterfully sprinkles the mystical clues throughout this visually dazzling film. Like Fellini, who began and ended many of his films by the seashore, Tykwer understands the mystical and healing properties of water and begins and ends this film by the sea and has both of the main characters holding and using ice cubes. In addition, Sissy's dream about her and Bobo's many lifetimes connections as husband/wife, brother/sister, etc. reiforces the theme of working out karmic dramas.
Like Fellini, who used his brilliant actress wife, Gulietta Masina as his muse or Hitchcock who used Jimmy Stewart as his alter ego, Tykwer makes use of the extraordinary talents of Franka Potente. As in "Run Lola Run", Potente displays an uncanny combination of strength and vulnerability. Like Gulietta Masina, Potente communicates much with her expressive face. Potente, and the rest of the brilliant cast, make this film truly affecting and haunting.
62 One of 2001's Most Cruelly Ignored Films
It is criminal that, when writing a review for Tom Tykwer's masterly "The Princess & The Warrior", you almost need to mention Tykwer's previous film, 1999's "Run Lola Run". Using flash-cuts, still photographs, animation, black-and-white stock, digital video and slow-motion photography, amongst other cinematic techniques, Tykwer's sophomore effort, following his little-seen debut "Wintersleepers", announced a new wild, energetic talent behind the camera of world cinema, as well as a new pretty face infront of it in 'Lola' herself, Franka Potente. Two years later, Tykwer follows up "Lola" with something almost completely different in tone and execution, trading in "Lola's" kinetic energy with a leisurely-paced fable that would knock Jean-Pierre Jeunet's "Amelie" out for six.
Of course, the comparisons with "Lola" can yield a few results, with some key actors (Franka Potente, Joachim Krol, Lars Rudolph) returning along with some key crew members, including "Lola's" adventurous director of photography Frank Griebe. But, compared to "Lola's" full-on assault on the senses, "Princess" washes over you like a giant tsunami, thanks in large part to its gorgeous cinematography, luminous production design and some nifty special effects (including a specific moment that David Fincher would be proud of). Of particular mention is the score by Tykwer himself and his co-composers Johnny Klimek and Reinhold Heil (otherwise known as Pale 3), who after granting "Lola" a score that would go down a storm at a rave, expertly wrack up the tension using a more classically influenced sound.
Tykwer's bold script and direction remain the catalyst for these factors though. It is testament to his savvy that he gets inside of both Sissi and Bodo's heads and projects their points of view towards the audience in an unpredictable way, avoiding narration for the most part and letting some searing visuals tell us the story; the closing scenes are of reference here as it perfectly captures Bodo's state of mind and his final accepting decision without hardly any lines of dialogue whatsoever. The script, meanwhile, throws in a bank robbery, a loony asylum and a blind medium, amongst other plot devices, that serve the story rather than clog up the narrative, which remains tightly focused on the sparsely-worded relationship between Sissi and Bodo.
The acting is wonderful, also, particularly from the two leads. Of course it helps that both of them have amazingly expressive faces, particularly Franka Potente's perfectly formed mouth and Benno Furmann's bluer-than-blue eyes, and are pretty damn attractive as well. Potente answers the critics who slandered her performance in "Lola" as consisting largely of running with a moving performance as Sissi, who could be Amelie Poulain's older, more mature, sexier cousin whilst Furmann unloads some alarming emotional moments most actors in Hollywood wouldn't be able to pull off (and gets naked a couple of times too!). As well as a cast of German supporting players who could eat the "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" inmates for breakfast, Joachim Krol, the tramp in "Lola" who has the elusive money, as Bodo's older, protective brother and Lars Rudolph, the S&M fetishist-turned-bank teller in "Lola", as Sissi's disturbed admirer ably support the leads throughout.
How this film was ignored by so many people, particularly academy voters, is beyond me; but anyone who's seen "Lola" and is intrigued by what Tykwer came up with next, before his English-language debut "Heaven" with Cate Blanchett and Giovanni Ribisi, mind, ought to check this sweetly romantic yet challengingly dark feature film, if not for Tykwer than for Potente and Furmann, two stars in the making. If that doesn't sway you, the DVD itself has two audio commentaries, deleted scenes and a 40-minute making-of documentary. A worthy package for a more-than-worthy film.
63 MASTERPIECE!!!
Beautifully made movie. The actors are wonderful. It's an amazing love story about two people meeting because of an accident. It's sort of slow paced, but does have some intense scenes. This is a very gripping movie. It really just kind of pulled me in the second I started watching it. It is also a very dramatic movie, a lot of emotions flying around. It's a German film so it has english subtitles, but I'm glad they did it that way instead of dubbing the voices over because I think that would have ruined the beauty in it. One of the most beautiful movies I've ever seen. SEE THIS MOVIE!!!
64 I was hoping for another "Run Lola Run"
A disappointment, sorry Franka. I didn't like the story or really anything about the movie. Also, I found Franka's hair and makeup to be very distracting. It just didn't look good on her at all. The only thing that I really liked was at the end with the alter ego. A psychologically artistic ending.
65 Great Extras!
While I enjoyed The Princess & The Warrior as a stand-alone film, the extras on this DVD made me adore it. You can read other reviewer's opinions on how this movie compares to Run Lola Run, but all I have to say is that I loved some of the inside referrences, such as when Sissi, Franke Potente's character, says "zwanzig minuten" ("twenty minutes") in this film. It's a great references to Run Lola Run, when she said it over and over.
Anyway, it really is the bonuses on this DVD that make it. The cut scenes are fantastic additions to the story, and I especially appreciated the 15 minute long introduction from Tom Tykwer and the other editor, explaining their editing process.
The "Making Of" documentary is completely facinating--amazing to see what the actors were *actually* jumping into when they leapt from atop the asylum. Also facinating to get some of the background on the asylum characters. Each one had such depth that's only hinted at in the movie...when you see interviews with each of those actors, you really see how deep this film went. I especially loved the one actor who decided her character went crazy after doing LSD in the '60s. Hee hee. Great background information.
Best of all the extras was the commentary with Tom Tykwer (the director), Franka ("Sissi"), and Benno ("Bodo"). I was wondering how the task of subtitling both the film AND the commentary was going to be pulled off, but I was happily surprised to hear all three of them speaking in English. They all speak the language *very* well, but it's awfully cute to hear when one of them pauses and says something like "Wie sagt man?" ("What the word?").
You get some great behind-the-scenes stories and a much better feel for the actors. I didn't realize that several of the actors in this film besides Franka were also in Run Lola Run, but each one is pointed out.
The DVD also includes a second commentary track (Tom Tykwer alone), and a music video (eh: I wasn't that impressed).
If you loved the film, there's *no way* you can live without this DVD. If you only *liked* the film, then I suggest you check out the DVD and prepare to have your opinion swayed. Fantasic! For those of looking for Run Lola Run, just buy that DVD instead. This film is very different, but equally fantastic.
66 This movie is deliciously German
I now love Tom Tykwer! He created 2 amazingly complex and believable characters and then spun them into a world so spellbinding and original that I don't even know where to start...
First of all the cinematography is breathtaking. I've been to the city of Wuppertal, but I NEVER saw it like this. The shots of the Schweberbahn were otherworldly. And the heartbreaking shots of Sissi in her yellow raincoat, the psychiatric hospital she lives in, Bodo's messed up life, etc.
Second of all the pacing. As with Run Lola Run, Tykwer creates an original pace unique to this movie. This one is much slower and calmer than Run Lola Run, but never lags or becomes dull. Tykwer creates a realer than real-life, postmodern esthetic--simultaneously drawing the viewer into a mesmerizingly believable, deliciously dark German fictional world and at the same time using all kinds of cool, surprising film techniques to create an itching sense of Verfremdung (aka alienation) and the uneasy awareness that you're watching a freaky posthuman fairy tale.
Third of all, although neither Sissi nor Bodo are the kind of people I normally hang out with, Tykwer made me love them. Hats off to him for creating characters who are so flawed and, in some ways, scary and at the same time making them endearing.
I can't wait to gluttonously feast on all the other Tykwer films I can get my hands on!
67 Beautiful...
I never saw the thrill of 'Run Lola Run.' To me, it was trying a little too hard to be hip, and not really succeeding.
'Princess and the Warrior,' however, is a different story. Both visually breathtaking and thought provoking, the film brings up questions about love, death, and destiny. Franka Potente is absolutely stunning in her role as a sheltered nurse who pursues the man who saved her life . . . and who appears in her dreams.
Many people are reluctant to watch a foreign film, uneasy with having to read and watch at the same time. Yet when the foreign film is excellent, something magical happens. You forget that you're reading at all.
'Princess and Warrior' is one of those films.
68 Best movie of 2001
I love this film. This is by far the best film I've seen for a long, long time. The leads were superb. Benno Furmann is a great actor. I hope I can see more of his work here in the States. The extra feature are very nice. The director goes over a lot of details that I'd missed. Get this dvd, you will love it!!
69 Who says a movie can't do "big themes?"
Is an insane asylum a valid metaphor for one's birth family? When a life-changing event takes place, how can one determine whether it is significant fate or random chance? How much courage is required to risk everything you have on a leap of faith? Does love have the power to redeem a lost and bitter soul? Whew...not exactly superficial stuff!
Treating any one of these themes with a modicum of success might bring thunderous accolades raining upon a Hollywood production but, without so much as a fanfare, German director/writer Tom Tykwer succeeds in tackling all of them by use of coincidence as a plot device and thanks to a gutsy performance by amazing actress Franka Potente, whom he also directed in Run, Lola Run.
Such big questions are usually the stuff of classic novels, not hip cinema, but Tykwer is sui generis in many ways: for example, his inventive camera shots are brilliant, as is his success with the actors.
The final image in the movie has stayed with this viewer for a long time. A second viewing held up remarkably well, too. The Princess and the Warrior is exemplary cinema.
70 Philisophical follow up to Run Lola Run
"The Princess and the Warrior" is a strange and often times disorienting movie. Ostensibly speaking, the plot follows Franka Portente's character (Lola from "Run Lola Run) attempts to find the man she believed has saved her life. However, this movie often defies basic convention and should not be viewed in this manner.
Director Tom Twyker seems to be using the film as a vehicle for some greater philisophical purpose. Like his last film Run Lola Run, it is difficult not to be engrossed by Twyker's fantastic command of visual style. Unlike Lola though, this movie is not as frenetic and as "post MTV." In fact, this movie manages to convey a great number of ideas without ever being obvious. Ocaisonally it veers towards banality but the film always manages to hold together nicely. The film explores many of the themes of "Run lola Run," but takes them much farther. The concept that small events have an enormous impact on individual destiny is of critical importance.
"The Princess and the Warrior" comes across more like a kind of philisophical meditation than any kind of conventional movie where plot and dialogue are key. There are moments of great silence (the bank robbery sequence works so well because it stealthily muses on the gravity of the situation rather than having people scream their heads off) that resonate long after the film's ending. One could dub this film as trite and boring but that seems to be completely missing what the film is trying to say. Ultimately if you are expecting a thrill-ride on the level of "Run Lola Run" you will be sorely dissapointed. If you keep an open mind and are willing to let the philisophical elements cinematically play themselves out, then there is no way you will be unsatisfied.
Quietly and discreetly powerful.
71 Ranks with Run Lola Run and Das Boot as tops.
I'm not quite sure why but this film didn't garner the same wide release that Run Lola Run did here in the States. Like that previous work, Princess and The Warrior is ultimately beautiful not only on the outside (cinematography and actors) but on the inside (emotional resonance and humanity). The soundtrack is amazing and the visuals stunning. Especially notable is the fact that the events in the film are not rushed and the film as a whole has a somewhat quiet, floating quality to it in spite of the sometimes intense goings on. Potente is great as always and newcomer Benno Furmann impresses in both the acting and looks departments. The few people I know who've seen this film all had the same reaction; surprise at discovering some kind of masterpiece...
72 Lola slows down, becomes more emotional
The Princess and The Warrior
2/14/2002
The Princess and The Warrior revisits territory familiar in Tom Tykwer's films, but is well crafted to keep the viewer interested and engrossed. The story centers around Sissi [Franka Potente], a devoted nurse at Birkenhof asylum. One day on a trip with one of the asylum's patients, Sissi is stuck by a car and is saved by the young man who caused the accident, Bodo [Benno FŸrmann]. What follows is Sissi's search to find the identity of the man who saved her, and is now appearing in her dreams. In the latter part of the film, focus is on whether fate or coincidence is responsible for the character's meeting. Techniques from Tykwer's previous films [Run Lola Run, Winter Sleepers], are once again present, such as repeating musical sequences, and long panning views of the characters.
The finale of the film, gives the characters even more depth and ties the package into a nice package. The final scenes, although initially confusing to some viewers, have a dramatic impact on audiences once the reasoning is found. Some Run Lola Run fans may be turned off by the dramatic reduction of pace from the previous film, but those able to accept the change of pace will be treated to a chain of events that is just as exciting and rewarding.
73 Now, I can finally choose a "favorite"...
Tykwer is astonishing. All 3 films are pure pleasure to watch and each not to be missed for its own reasons. Rarely have I seen such beautiful filmmaking. He doesn't skimp on content, either. The common theme running from this film back through LOLA and WINTER SLEEPERS shows that he is a man obsessed with the ideas of fate and destiny. His talent for writing a compelling story, scoring the perfect actors for every role, managing all the various subplots and then realizing the final product in such a visually and philosophically stunning way make him the best writer/director working today. He is a real artist in an industry that continually lowers its standards and the joy and excitement he must feel for getting to do what he does comes through in every scene... PRINCESS AND THE WARRIOR is entirely its own film and has as much, if not more, to say. So does WINTER SLEEPERS, for that matter. All are worth the time of at least one viewing.
74 Winter Sleeper is a must see
Tom Tykwer makes great films, some better than others. Run Lola Run is Tykwer's most widely known film in the U.S. but Winter Sleeper is his best. The Princess and the Warrior is not up to paar with Run Lola Run. IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN WINTER SLEEPER DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND BUY IT BEFORE YOU CONSIDER THIS ONE.
75 Astonishing
"The Princess and the Warrior" is the fourth feature length film from 35 year old German wunderkind director, Tom Tykwer. This astonishing film cements Tykwer's reputation as the most original director to emerge since the enigmatic David Lynch in the 1980's. It will invite comparisons to his technical tour de force, "Run Lola Run", but the leisurely pacing of "The Princess and the Warrior" is the work of a more assured director. Tykwer continues to examine his career long preoccupation with the themes of syncronicity and the existential cruelty of death, but the dizzying camera work and fast cut editing of "Lola" is kept to a minimum. Instead, Tykwer employs his displays of techincal brilliance to his advantage, using it to enhance our understanding of the characters in the film. We become deeply involved with the motivations and the aspirations of his troubled characters.
Franka Potente, who served as Tykwer's muse in "Lola", plays Sissi, an empathetic pyschiatric nurse who is hit by a truck. Bodo, played by Benno Furmann is a troubled millitary vet who performs an improvised tracheal bypass, in an exraordinarily tender scene, that is filmed completely underneath the semi-truck. Events spiral out of control as Sissi becomes obsessed with her rescuer, following her recovery. The cards of fate are shuffled and Sissi becomes enmeshed a botched bank robbery caper, involving Bodo, the object of her obsession.
The word "potente" means strong in Italian and Franka Potente is an actress that conveys the strength of her ancestory. Potente is a cameleon-like actress and her transparent face is capable of revealing conflicting emotions on cue. Ingrid Bergman possessed a similar quality...a rare and unspeakable inner beauty that could be captured on celluloid. Potente intuitively understands that dialogue is perephrial to acting, and the disiplines of facial and body language are the mark of a brilliant actress. Her leading man, Benno Furmann, is an accomplished actor that pushes his outer limits under Potente's dazzling aura and Tykwer's assured direction.
Tykwer composed the soundtrack (as he does with all of his films), and it serves as a beautiful counterpoint to the cinematography. Frank Griebe is without peer in his technical skills. Griebe's camera is capable of composing lush Monet-like scenes, dizzying bird's views, and unconventional angle shots, with a dreamy surreal quality. Tykwer's music and Griebe's camera are what make "The Princess and the Warrior" a sensual feast.
In 2002 I am looking forward to Tywker's first English feature, "Heaven" starring Cate Blanchette; and Potente's first English leading lady role with Matt Damon, in Robert Ludlum's thriller, "The Bourne Idenity."
76 Unfair to compare to "Run Lola Run"
This movie is so good! The mistake a lot of people make is to compare it to Tom Tykwer and Franka Potente's previous film "Run Lola Run." "The Princess and the Warrior" takes it's time revealing information and development, but when it gets the end, everything is worth it! So good! It may seem slow to American audiences used to fast paced action thrillers, but is well made and worth seeing in it's own right.
77 Twyker soon to be recognized . . .
. . . as one of (along with Amenebar) the emerging European masters. Such a shame really that most were expecting Lola 2, having missed Winter Sleepers. This movie is a MAJOR ACHIEVEMENT from so many perspectives and will retrospectivly be judged as one of the finest films of the year, if not the best outright. And if Franka is not the most subtle actress on the planet I don't know my own name.
78 The Princess and the Warrior
According to DVDempire.com, the DVD region 1 release of "The Princess and the Warrior" will include deleted scenes, a "making of" featurette, director and cast commentaries, and "much more."
I am really looking forward to the release of this DVD the film is wonderful and it'll be great to hear Tykwer and Potente discuss their 2nd collaboration. Hopefully all these features are indeed included. Unfortunately, we won't be getting the 2 disc special edition those in Germany can enjoy. Oh well.
79 Looking for Franka? Tykwer inspires again.
Not "Run Lola Run" but on it's own a great movie. Franka Potente is of course gorgeous. in this film there are themes that Tywer likes to use: 'right place right time', the 'what if?' scenarios. these themes are what make him such a good writer. his chracters are likable unlikables. he explores them indepth and with no caution. and there is no typical hum drum drama here. instead there is the engrossing, relentlessly bold writing and direction that we love.
80 Achtung Achtung Another stunning film by Twyker
This film in a gorgeously crafted film that teams Benno and Franke again(they starred together in the German thriller Anatomie). Der Krieger und die Kaiserin also hide a deeper meaning to this film that almost all Americans will miss. The backstory of the Austrian Kaiserin Sissi gives a profundity to the story that is both beautiful and disturbing.
For those who enjoyed Run Lola Run, The Princess and the Warrior provides stunning performances from some of the same actors. After Lola Rent this film is a strong departure and truly another jem to German Cinema. I would strongly suggest it to anyone who can apreciate excellent cinema and prefers not to have their stories spoonfed.
A haunting question is open for debate on this film, Who was Sissi's father? Some say Walter others say it was the character portrayed by Lars Rudolf. What do you think?
81 Potente's Portentous Adventures
Remember the scene in "True Romance", where James Gandolfini beats the (...) out of Patricia Arquette? She keeps coming back for more, and he keeps beating her down. When she finally manages to strike the fatal blow, you can hardly call it a victory, for she is a bloody, but unbowed, mess. Well, in "The Princess and the Warrior" dear Franka Potente gets pushed around and pummeled almost as much as Patricia did, only here it's spread out over the course of the whole movie. There's the fateful truck accident, true, but she is also constantly being pushed down, punched, choked, and generally beaten. The amazing thing, though, is that she also remains unbowed. Her force of will is so strong, or maybe her pigheadedness is so unyielding, that no matter what obstacle is put in her way, her search will not be stopped.
Potente, more than any contemporary actress, is prodigious at playing these kinds of women. Or at least she is in her collaborations with writer/director Tom Tykwer. "Run Lola Run", their previous art-house hit, had her dashing around Berlin in a furious attempt to gather some quick cash. An enjoyable film, "Lola" was a fine meditation on fate, disguised as (as someone once said) "an exploded video game". "The Princess and the Warrior" is languid and contemplative where "Lola" was kinetic and visceral. Don't expect "Lola 2", or you'll be terribly disappointed. Still, it's a wonderful little film, full of casually elegant visuals, subdued camera trickery, and a perfectly integrated soundtrack.
Tykwer has assembled another fine meditation on fate, but he also manages to examine the circuitous nature of our personal histories. How do the events of the past, or our actions within those events, affect our futures? They continually come back to haunt us. The most telling example is Sissi's (Potente) accident. She is saved by a mysterious stranger, Bodo (Benno Furmann). It's a powerful moment, gruesome in its details, full of gripping suspense and tangible human connections. Tykwer spares the audience nothing as Bodo must think on his feet in order to clear Sissi's windpipe. For her part, Sissi gazes with awe at Bodo (she is the princess, he is the warrior), fully aware that he is the only who can save her life. But she can't seem to hold on to him later as she is rushed through the hospital. The rest of the movie revolves around her attempts to reconnect with him, and of his pushing her away (figuratively and literally, violently at times).
It also focuses on her trying to reconnect to her old, mundane life, working as a nurse in a psychiatric ward. The "Cuckoo's Nest" gallery of misfits she must work with provide the film with some of its funniest and most horrific moments, sometimes in the same scene. Sissi goes about her business with cold precision, tormented by the memory of the man who saved her life. The hospital also provides another backdrop against which the film's themes can be examined, for who are these patients really? How do they fit into the story, and into Sissi's life? Watch closely, for fate rears its ugly head again.
Potente delivers another fine performance. She manages to have a blank but wonderfully expressive face (how does she do it?), showing both Sissi's repression and her passion at the same time. I get more enjoyment, however, watching her body movements. She is like an innocent little pixie, skipping along innocently when she runs (a far cry from her tank-like sprinting in "Lola"). And she is able to portray so many emotions just with her body posture. I am amazed by this woman's skills. Furmann, for his part, gets to play both strength and torment in equal measures, and is up to the task. He is less adept at showing the inherent humour in Bodo (at least in comparison with "Lola's" Moritz Bleibtreu, whose Manni was often amused by Lola, even during the tensest of moments), which is probably one of the reasons why "Princess" was a little too bleak at times. Breaking up those dark moments with a light joke could have pushed this film over the top. As it stands, it's an engrossing picture, at times overlong, but still very much worth seeing.
82 The best Tykwer's picture!!
And not even Tykwer's. I think it one of the best films ever made. It is so fascinating and beautiful. It's really interesting. Franka Potente is great actress. "P&W" is about life, destiny, love, madness... It's really worth watching.
83 The best Tykwer's picture!!
And not even Tykwer's. I think it one of the best films ever made. It is so fascinating and beautiful. It's really interesting. Franka Potente is great actress. "P&W" is about life, destiny, love, madness... It's really worth watching.
84 Incredible directing, incredible story, great musical score
Well, I've heard a lot of people say that Tom Tykwer didn't make it quite as exciting and exhilerating as Run Lola Run. What they don't realize is that Run Lola Run was the different one. They haven't seen Winter Sleepers or Deadly Maria, Tykwer's other films. Princess and the Warrior had incredible directing, an incredible storyline, and a great musical score. The actors did a great job. See this movie. Though it may be hard to follow for the less intelegent ones
85 teutonic trilogy
Amazing how a movie with subtitles, plays like a movie done in my native tongue. Filmography, story line and musical track simply lull the brain into total delight. A wish came true this summer in the release of the movie The Princess and the Warrior. After the 1999 summer release of the movie Run Lola Run, work by director Tom Tykwer, responsible for both films, was just about the only thing that could get me back into the theater. Love is what drives this movie. Director Tykwer loves, in terms of professional collaboration, actress Franka Potente. The camera loves capturing the beauty of Potente's and her ability to act. Strong acting throughout and visually fresh, enjoying every minute of the film is easy. For a mood setting soundtrack to your own evening, pop in the available CD, and relax.
86 One of the most interesting films of 2001.
The first thing that catches you is the opening music, which is very simple yet melancholy enough in setting the mood appropriatly for the rest of the movie. Sissi immediatley comes across as a women who feels utterly trapped in life, without any hope of escape - just by her actions and the way she interacts with the patients. Finally due to fate, she meets the Warrior, Bodo, who though indirectly causes the accident, also ends up saving her from death. Bodo who happens to have a habit of robbing gas stations, possibly because his wife was killed at one, seems a reckless yet pationate man with dark issues underneath his strong exterior. His brother Walter, oddly has his name thrown in at the Gas station where his wife died, but maybe just another coincidence, was apparently in the Bundeswehr with him and is his mentor and guardian. Questions linger throughout the movie as to why Bodo has a problem crying which later get answered. Some other interesting things which one might have wondered were who was Sissi's father, what was the significance of the toaster being thrown into the water in relation to her mothers death, and was Steinni really insane or just a murderer who was hiding, very much like Bodo. The movie is definetly a film that needs to be watched more than once to catch some of the minor details. The characters are all very well played and the character of Bodo has the most striking eyes of anyone I've ever seen on film. I've never seen Run Lola Run, but this was a great movie to be introduced to the talent of Tom Tykwer. One last question. Why did they switch the Princess and the Warrior around from it's original German title? Is this American feminism in action?
87 One of the most interesting films of 2001.
The first thing that catches you is the opening music, which is very simple yet melancholy enough in setting the mood appropriatly for the rest of the movie. Sissi immediatley comes across as a women who feels utterly trapped in life, without any hope of escape - just by her actions and the way she interacts with the patients. Finally due to fate, she meets the Warrior, Bodo, who though indirectly causes the accident, also ends up saving her from death. Bodo who happens to have a habit of robbing gas stations, possibly because his wife was killed at one, seems a reckless yet pationate man with dark issues underneath his strong exterior. Questions linger throughout the movie as to why Bodo has a problem crying which later get answered. Some other interesting things which one might have wondered were who was Sissi's father, what was the significance of the toaster being thrown into the water in relation to her mother's death, and was Steinni really insane or just a murderer who was hiding, very much like Bodo. The movie is definetly a film that needs to be watched more than once to catch some of the minor details. The characters are all very well played and the character of Bodo has the most striking eyes of anyone I've ever seen on film. Franka Potente has plays a very clever, crafty women with an exterior of seemed naivety. I've never seen Run Lola Run, but this was a great movie to be introduced to the talent of Tom Tykwer. One last question. Why did they switch the Princess and the Warrior around from it's original German title? Is this American feminism in action?
88 Lola Slows Down...
...but that does not stop this film from being very well done. America we have got to embrace Tom Tykwer! This man makes tantalizing motion pictures. The Princess and the Warrior is not like Run Lola Run so for viewers caught up in the hype of that film you may be disappointed, but you should not be. This film lives up to it's hype and is another beautiful puzzle from the world of Tykwer.
Franka Potente plays a nurse working in a mental hospital when fate, and a horrific accident, brings Bodo into her life. He is a troubled man, who's anguish over his past has left him on the edge of insanity. Actually there is really no reason to say more. So many things in this film come full circle it is better to not dicuss them, but there are chases, guns, a bank robbery, love, and death. The simple twists give the movie depth and keep it engaging from start to finish. That and it is a visual masterpiece. There are shots in this movie I have never seen before. Additionally the transitions are innovative and, of course, the music is awesome. Potente and Benno Furmann are exceptional in the lead roles both giving layer upon layer to their complex characters.
This movie was so well writen and directed by Tykwer. He just seems to make the impossible possible. If you liked Run Lola Run you should see this film and if you didn't see Lola you should. Then see this and also Winter Sleepers, another Tykwer film. All of them are unique pictures. Upon watching them people will understand why this guy is one of the most talented new filmmakers in the world.
89 VERY Creative, But Wanted It To Be Better
Okay, first of all let me tell you that I saw "Lola" eight times, so I was VERY pumped to like this film a LOT. And I did like it -- it has many, many creative touches. Further, I doubt that I will EVER pass up a chance to see a movie with Franka Potente in it! (or a movie that was directed by Tom Tykwer).
Many of the characters in this movie -- even the bit part "loonies" -- were truly exceptional, with several brilliant and touching scenes.
I think my main complaint is that it was way too long. Two hours and 9 minutes, when an hour and 45 would probably have been about right.
But, all of that said, SEE THIS MOVIE!! It's not Lola, but it's got a lot of things that Lola didn't have, too. Enjoy!
90 amazing
Tom Tykwer is my new hero. I know that some people are down on Princess because it's very different from Lola, but to me it's a real joy to go to the theater and see something so genuinely different from Tykwer's last film. He's a director who's willing to take risks and that's part of what makes his films so exciting to watch.
This movie is amazing in a different way than Lola but some of the same elements are here: a fate-driven storyline, some breathtaking cinematography, spot on acting by Potente (her role here is so different from Lola, but still powerful--as if sleeping beauty could get up and walk around) and a soundtrack that's just RIGHT for the film in so many ways. The leisurely pace enhanced the movie, not only because it gave me time to appreciate some of the beautiful shots, but also because it made me feel the fate that was working in the film.
Though Princess is longer than Lola, I was never bored. It kept my interest from start to finish. For me, that puts it head and shoulders above a lot of other things I've seen lately.
91 Loved it
I know that some were disappointed by the film, but I thought it was the best film I've seen in a long time. The city that the much of the story takes place in gives the film a great vibe, the actors all did such an amazing job, and the hospital Sissy works at really makes the story a touching piece.
The only part that I didn't like came near the end, with a metaphorical "two-Bodos" thing. It seemed strange, and it didn't match the rest of the film.
When you're watching the film, there will be times where you aren't really sure what Twyker is doing, why the characters are important, or you may just see how improbable a lot of stuff is. But just go with it!! The movie does require a bit of suspended disbelief.
92 "Get off the toilet!" said the man.
Sissi works as a nurse at a mental hospital and encounters a depressive army veteran, Bodo, when he saves her life during a traffic accident that he himself caused. When Sissi is released from the hospital, nearly 2 months later, she is obsessed with Bodo and tracks him down. However, Bodo is battling some inner demons and wants nothing to do with her. It would be best if Sissi could leave it at that and walk away, since Bodo and his brother are planning a dangerous heist. But, of course, Sissi and Bodo's fates are now inseparable, and they must walk their joint path to the end.
"The Princess and the Warrior" is director Tom Tykwer's fourth feature and follows the great international success of "Run Lola Run." With the current film, Tykwer turns away from the visceral, kinetic energy of "Lola" and attempts to pull off an urban epic. Unfortunately, the film moves at the pace of a glacier and lacks any sort of emotional or narrative focus. The main characters spend most of their time wandering around in a confused daze, somehow managing to cause more problems than they solve. Also, the story is built on two ridiculous coincidences, leaves numerous loose ends, and climaxes with a dramatic twist that is one big cheat on the audience--a sort of gutless, faux "Thelma and Louise" moment.
And what is the message of the film? What is the line that will haunt you for hours afterward, possibly causing indigestion? "Get off the toilet!" Well, there's nothing like scatological sentimentality to bring a truly cathartic end to a failed epic.
93 Incredible
Tom Tykwer follows up Run Lola Run with a film that tales a back-seat from the fast pace of Lola and focuses on the beauty of the filmmaking. The story is impossible to summarize, but it is about a woman (Franka Potente) who falls in love with a man who saves her life (Benno Furrman.) From there, the film follows twist after turn to come to an incredible ending. I reccommend this to anyone who apprecites true filmmaking.
94 Incredible
The Princess and The Warrior is less of an audience film than Tykwer's previous success, Run Lola Run. It is more in tune with the mood of his previous film, Winter Sleepers. It is very much a filmmaker's film, in that the pacing is in no hurry to please the audience with instant gratification. To truly enjoy this film, you must sit through every slow but beautiful shot. There are some truly astounding crane shots and the story is haunting, frustrating and beautiful. There is a visual effects scene not to be missed at the climax. If you like real films, go see this, NOW. I saw it at it's US Premiere at the San Francisco Intl' Film Festival and got to shake Franka Potente's hand. It was great, along with Memento, Snatch and Blow, one of the best films of 2001.
