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Die Welle (2008) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 4 | slideshow) Videos (see all 9)
Die Welle (2008) -- Movieplayer.it - Italian Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
7.5/10   9,296 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 1% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Dennis Gansel (writer)
Todd Strasser (novel)
more
Contact:
View company contact information for The Wave on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
13 March 2008 (Germany) more
Genre:
Plot:
A high school teacher's unusual experiment to demonstrate to his students what life is like under a dictatorship spins horribly out of control when he forms a social unit with a life of its own. | full synopsis
Awards:
3 wins & 6 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(12 articles)
German Trailer for 'We Are the Night'
 (From Bloody-Disgusting.com. 28 November 2009, 11:29 AM, PST)

Teaser Trailer for We Are the Night
 (From shocktillyoudrop. 28 November 2009)

User Comments:
Fascism is still possible and alive more (40 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Jürgen Vogel ... Rainer Wenger
Frederick Lau ... Tim Stoltefuss
Max Riemelt ... Marco

Jennifer Ulrich ... Karo
Christiane Paul ... Anke Wenger
Jacob Matschenz ... Dennis
Cristina do Rego ... Lisa

Elyas M'Barek ... Sinan
Maximilian Vollmar ... Bomber
Max Mauff ... Kevin (as Maximilian Mauff)
Ferdinand Schmidt-Modrow ... Ferdi
Tim Oliver Schultz ... Jens
Amelie Kiefer ... Mona
Fabian Preger ... Kaschi
Odine Johne ... Maja
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
The Wave (USA)
A Onda (Brazil) (festival title) (Portugal) [pt]
A hullám (Hungary) [hu]
Bølgen (Denmark) [da]
Experiment 2 (Russia) [ru]
Fala (Poland) [pl]
L'onda (Italy) [it]
La ola (Argentina) [es]
La vague (France) [fr]
Nás vodca (Slovakia) [sk]
Nás vudce (Czech Republic) [cs]
Tehlikeli oyun (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
To kyma (Greece) [el]
more
Runtime:
107 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Filming Locations:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Director Cameo: [Dennis Gansel] The guy Dennis (Jacob Matschenz) talks to at the bar, who is later seen making out with Marco's mother. more
Goofs:
Incorrectly regarded as goofs: (At 57:15) The teacher is formally called Rainer Wenger, although informally he uses his first name is Rainer, among his students initially and later his surname during the project, Wenger. One might think the principal would use his first name when talking to him, but in Germany when adult colleagues speak to each other, they use their last name when talking to each other, i.e. Herr Wenger. more
Movie Connections:
Version of The Wave (1981) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
Execution Song more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
17 out of 18 people found the following comment useful.
Fascism is still possible and alive, 29 September 2008
8/10
Author: (pei_yin_lin@hotmail.com) from United Kingdom

Die Welle details how a project on autocracy gradually leads to disastrous results. Initially without enthusiasm to teach the topic, Rainer Wegner conducts an unorthodox experiment to demonstrate to his students (equally lukewarm to start with) what life would be like under fascism. Neatly structured by days, the experiment begins with simple disciplines and grows to become an exclusive cult named "the wave" with its own uniform and salute.

Similar to his 2004 film "Before the Fall" which concerns the Nazi's seduction of youth, Dennis Gansel probes the individual psychologies that bring about uncontrollable collective movement, and how personal life is transformed by it. It offers a balanced view on an organisation like "The Wave" by enquiring whether it is a crystallisation of the students' class-free utopia (at the cost of losing individuality) or a community for those in need of belonging and empowerment.

What is frightening is that many (though not all) of them voluntarily follow the conformity through reasoning. Ironically, the mob mentality engulfing the students is what they condemn formerly; even the "anarchist" Rainer finds himself intoxicated with his increasingly idolised status.

An engaging and powerful film with a sense of humour, suspension (terror arises when the light goes off during Karo's anti-Wave poster distribution), twist (Rainer's concluding speech), believable characterisation and excellent acting (Jürgen Vogel, Max Riemelt, and Frederick Lau). Inspired by a true event in California , this intelligent film merits attention particularly because of its non-preaching and humanistic treatment of a heavy subject.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Die Welle (2008)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
This version's wrong message (spoilers!) imdb-5096
Disturbed me... geordiebianconeri
Question abuot Wenger's T-shirts vargpojke
Do you think it really does work? shescheating
Final shots of the film (SPOILERS ALERT!) Londoner1
Jay and Silent Bob???? SueBridehead
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