Bandits (1997) Online

This movie has a great soundtrack -- actually written and performed by the cast. Jazzee (Tabatabai) is an amazing song writer, and cute, too. Coco Krebitz and Katja Riemann are lovely and quite talented. Drags a little in the middle, but other than that it's a fun film worth seeing (I've seen it four times myself). Summary: Appealing cast, great music, terrific cinematography, clever dialogue. Four out of five stars from me!

I just couldn't leave the last comment to this movie as it was. I haven't seen the English dubbed version, so this might be a reason why you got such a bad impression of the movie. Having seen the original German version, I must disagree. It's not MTV 'fodder' and the characters are not stereotypical. Actually, the movie leaves a lot in the dark about the character, things you have to think about yourself when watching it. If this was 'overexplained' in the English version to make it easier for the audience, it's not the fault of the director or the plot. It IS an awfully good movie, but seeing the bad critics it got from the English speaking part, I'd advise you to watch the German version.

Telling of a rock group of four imprisoned females who escape and enjoy overnight commercial musical success because of their notoriety, "Bandits" is not of the sexsational genre of B-flicks about women in prison commonplace in America. Instead it is a stylish, artfully shot sort of quasi-musical-drama-rock-video out of Germany with verve, solid music, a creative story, and a captivating screenplay. "Bandits", which received high marks from critics and viewers, is just real enough to get involved with while being just unreal enough to make rooting for the escapees easily rationalized. Love the ending. Worth a look for those into "girl power" and rock music.

Hey, this definitely is one to watch. A one of a kind "German Females Shawshank Redemption goes Rock'n Roll." It was a big hit in Germany, though of course that is usually a deterrent for some odd reason. Don't let it be. If you follow video and DVD Releases, you will know it has been available for a few months now (finally) in the USA, where, I believe a movie like this would be a huge success. That is of course if it were in American English and starred Julia Roberts, instead of Katja Riemann, a big star in Germany, but of course a nobody in the US, in spite appearing in the only German movies released in the US in the past 5 years including Der Bewegte Mann - MAYBE, MAYBE NOT, and the COMEDIAN HARMONISTS. She is awesome in this role. If you like prison films, and triumph of the underdog, seemingly against all odds, run and rent this film. It is for you. As the Shawshank Redemption remains the second top-rated movie of all time here, it would follow that BANDITS should be a comparable success in the foreign film department. Additionally, it has all that female bonding which men (who usually make up over 52% of the audience) and I believe most emancipated women love to watch. See it now. You never know when these European films suddenly go out of print. In Germany, it will always be available, and is already a classic, as the previous comment indicates, and represents the majority opinion here. But no one can pinpoint why German movies are just being totally ignored since the 80s, when in fact, they have experienced a rebirth, and have become so much more accessible, so much more American, as has been the trend in almost everything in post World War II Germany. (RUN, LOLA, RUN to many is not really a movie, but a series of music videos according to many, and so can not really be called an exception.) But BANDITS is a real movie, not particularly German AT ALL. Most people will really get a kick out of it if they only gave it a shot. Watch it.

While watching movies about music or musicians, I often sympathize with these poor bastards of actors: The script requires them to play - say - a guitar, but they obviously have no clue as to how to even hold this instrument. And then the singing voice sounds so suspiciously different from the one they talk with...

In this respect, 'Bandits' is a welcome surprise: Obviously, these actresses know far more than just the pure basics of their instruments and deliver a convincing performance as a rock band. And sitting through to the end of the credits reveals that they not only did their own singing, but wrote the major part of the music and lyrics by themselves, most notably "Luna" Jasmin Tabatabai.

For me, the great music more than compensates for the rather fantastic, sometimes clichéd plot with some minor holes. All in all, a remarkable movie!

No movie is perfect-not even the Godfather!Every movie has flaws, and in stating that this German film had quite a few.The genre seemed to switch between music video/musical (with dance sequences or some type of choreography) and drama.This said there were several surreal scenes, and a critique of the plot should keep this in mind.THE PLOT WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE BELIEVABLE!!-four women with different criminal backgrounds fight for thweir emancipation/try to escape from the law while trying to maintain their rock 'n' roll career.Yes, I do agree that some issues/conflicts could have been further developed e.g. the conflict between the two band members over the cute male hostage,the conflict of stardom and infamy,etc.It is interesting to note that being a rock musician is synonymous with being an outlaw.Defying figures of authority and statues of law.So the writers had a interesting concept to work with.The soundtrack was inspiring and simply rocked!!(how come they spoke in German and sung in pure English).Love the song of the final scene-Don't forget to catch me!!The actresses were blessed with talent!!All in all, the film had such an appeal to me and I love it anyhoo.

There have been many movies about people escaping from jail, but few (maybe none) are like "Bandits". It focuses on a group of disgruntled young women in a German prison. When they get a chance to play outside the prison, they naturally use that chance to escape. But that's where the movie takes a surprise turn. The become the most popular band in the country.

It's a really funny movie (yes, the Germans can be funny). I particularly liked some of the things that they said while packing airplane utensils, and just the way that one of the women had a sarcastic attitude and chose to go around bending the rules just a little. A modern classic.

I enjoyed this movie more than most of the American movies I've seen in the past year. It's also different from any other movies I've ever seen. The acting is great, and all of the characters are interesting...plus, I have to get the soundtrack. It's hard to find movies that are this original and entertaining.

This is pretty good directing for a pop rock music video. The entire film is basically a series of music videos glued together with a story that becomes impossible to believe before any of the major plot elements are introduced. If this wasn't in German probably it would be a good hit on the international MTV, but as it is, maybe the German MTV will show it a few times.

Now I know not just Hollywood produce fast-food teen movies. The form is attractive enough. Rock'n sex'n fame, nowadays teens' dream life. Runaway chick rock band from prison. Hmm, It could be a "Bonny and Clyde" type of material. But the director shows no interest in examining human nature. The characters don't care much about freedom. In no way their behaviour could possible derive any success, let alone human triumph. The director is only obsessed with showcasing rock music (what a band, they don't even play much original German rock song?), making it look like those cheap MTV.

Ladies in the movie seems still in their teen days. Besides music, they only seems to interest in making love. I have no sympathy for the two hollywoodized young band member, who had bitter affair with the same irresponsible cute boy on the street. They got only themselves to blame. This movie about the girl band is definitely not for girls. The plot is lame enough to adding the beat-up story of the mid-class drummer and the story of mid-age mother for her dead son. Both stories are so stereotyped that I eventually get bored.

It had great potential. Like the story of the suicidal mid-age mother, though not much rock spirit. This kind of self destruction could be generated by years of the prison experience . "Shawhank's redemption" examined and expressed similar facet. But this director choose just put spread her hormone and left the mess around. It is easy to admire the life on the edge. It is easier to get what is brought out superficially, especially in the fast changing e-days.

It has its fun moment. The movie try to switch between reality and surreal. Those rock until you have nowhere to run scene. The fate of Inevitable failure. Pretty impressive. Due to lack of vision, the director didn't explore all the potential of the movie.

Maybe I shouldn't take this movie too seriously. But after terrific German movies like "Run lola Run" (similar scene of girl on the run) and "Comedian Harmonists" (similar for a story about a musical group), this is really a let down!

I loved this film. It has a wonderful sound track and great story sort of a rock and roll meets Thelma and Louise. Or better yet the Thelma and Louise for the millennium(while this was released in 97 but who cares its close enough).The story line is a bit on the fantasy side but thats what makes it so good. And after seeing Run Lola Run I am now a very big fan of German Cinema. So see this film its wonderful in all the right ways.

Although I did see the movie in both versions, original German (as recommended by a viewer) and English, none would convince me to call it a good movie, although it has some nice music that goes into the ear. What bothers most is that it seems to hobble over a number of gaps, where elements just do not fit together, and reason for this may be that Ms Garnier took so long in making it, that by half way through she had so many more ideas she desperately wanted to see included, although they were not worked out at all (or she had really that many influential advisers), that the outcome is a weird mixed salad with no clear direction. However, it is somewhat wonderfully easy to digest thanks to some refreshing dance and music interludes, but that makes it also feel like watching a serious, yet boring movie and keeping the channel on because of frequent interruptions by some excellently done commercials (that advertise any mundane product through creating an association with cool lifestyle). Indeed, the oh-so-yummy! supporting actor is actually a HUGO BOSS perfume model, and all he is able to say (although with a cute accent) is: "Du hast wunderschoene Augen!" (-Guys, even if you don't know what that means, record it and learn it by heart - and swap it for the notorious "Isch liebe Disch!", as shown on screen this phrase will get you any girl into bed!) How fun to get to do a sex-scene a'la MTV video with something like that, no wonder that both of the girls in sexually active age (or as much as the audience wants to imagine) get to have a go. And the great side-effect of that is: the movie shows all the interested guys (and also ladies who feel like it) in the audience how it would be to have sex with the (only?) two types of hip ladies that exist out there: cutesy innocent man-murderer ("Angel"!!!) that even during flight from high-security prison chooses to wear sex-kitten outfit inclusive high-heels, and/or the ever so grumpy =equals irresistibly cool, dark, mysterious "Luna", who all of a sudden with no clothes on, covered in mud and giggling over the just experienced primal fun has lost all her darkness and turns a silly high-school-chick that cheated with the man of her best friend just to have something to do (all that guitar playing gets boring after some time, doesn't it?) until that one returns. Upon sight of her she remembers her sins and is back to being oh so dark once again. There are the two elder inmates, but why bother getting to know them a bit more, because they are not what a young (paying) audience wants to associate with. So their personal drama is limited to mini explanations. The one misses the long-since-dead man who will be met only at his grave, and reunited with just by leaving her body when things turn too rough out there (was she really THAT old, oh my God!?). The other was driven to murder after her partner through beating her up caused the still-birth of their baby. Luna gives the only comment "Tut mir leid!" (I'm sorry), that's enough said. The dialogs in this movie are sparse, which does not make them any better, and somehow the music-lyrics seem to have more body. Once again, as it seems fashion in contemporary German cinema, why do parts of the movie, especially where prison and police-scenes are portrayed, seem way too aggressive and more out of an US action movie? Are Germans ashamed that their authority systems are yet not as brutal as the BIG BROTHER's? Do you want it like that and is that a kind of "lack of cruelty-complex"? Ms Riemann, who learned drumming just for the role of percussionist Emma, shows another unexpected talent, applause for this, although she somehow carries an atmosphere of Doris Doerrie-comedies and does not convince as a killer, nor do the other three ladies for that part. Although according to story each had her reasons it feels rather we are looking at four very nice ladies that were confronted during a very average life with unlucky situations that happened to ask for murder as the only reaction, if not solution, or was it anyways all just an accident? (compare Tom Waits and John Lurie in "Down By Law"!) and if law was not law these sweet ladies would be just going back to their normal lives. Coincidentally united as a music-band, they might have called also it: "We had to" instead of "Bandits". Which is leaving out those people that did kill with different, more complex motives and backgrounds, and a movie about them might be more interesting as a story, but possibly less sexy. The shown end is unrealistic and over-sentimental but considering the other option, making it onto the ship, waving bye-bye to fans and police and forming a nice ocean-cruise entertainment band in red glitter-dresses, I agree: death had to be the only way out.

The filmakers try to copy a classic Hollywood buddy/ con movie. The outcome is simply bad, bad, bad: the plot, the music, the acting, the lightning, everything is just bad. Worst of all is the directing: obviously the movie was rushed trough principal photography without care or love by the director. Bad camera work and incredible plot holes are nothing compared to the ending which secures this `movie' a place in the movie hall of shame.

The actresses in this movie were pretty good, making a fairly clichéd plot Four female convicts start a rock band and escape from, jail, get chased, take a good looking hostage and have sex with him. Along the way they bond and become pop-music superstars. The story could have worked, if it wasn't interrupted every five minutes with a music "video" (it's shot beautifully on 35mm film). I like musicals, whether it's Tommy or Singing in the Rain, but while in those films musical segments create character depth or further the plot, most of the music scenes in Bandits seem like filler. The film is all about surface, and while this surface is often beautiful, the end left me unsatisfied.

"Bandits" is a German 110-minute movie from 1997, so this one has its 20th anniversary this year. Katja von Garnier is the director here and also one of the writers and this is not the only occasion she worked with actress Katja Riemann. But probably the worst, at least I hope so. Yes I just wrote "writers", which means that actually several people worked on this movie and they still did not see all the flaws that are wrong with it. And even if I am generally a bit biased when it comes to Riemann, I still can only shake my head at her winning a German Film Award for this film. The entire plot has nothing to do with realism. This refers to the biggest crucial parts and events as well as the details. This is the story of a group of musicians who manage to break out while they are supposed to give a concert. Okay, so the police are huge idiots here and they really screwed up, but what happens next is even more embarrassing. While on the run, the gang turns into successful musicians and they are cheered at by audiences. Why? Why? Why? There are criminals on the run. Oh yes lets buy their records, won't we? And the police still can't catch them despite all this. Embarrassing stuff. Needless to say that the music in this film is extremely mediocre from start to finish, sometimes weak and this still makes it better than all the rest I guess. Now if they keep getting away from the police, they have to be somewhat criminal masterminds right? Nope not at all. Pretty much all of them act like fools on several occasions. Stupid romance plots include a romance story between a hostage and one of the criminals. Think of OitNB, Prison Break, Vier Minuten etc. and think of everything that could have gone wrong with these movies but didn't. Then you can basically imagine what to expect here. In order to keep audiences (especially horny men I guess) from seeing all the flaws with this movie they included a graphic sex scene including the not so unattractive Jasmin Tabatabai. Oh yeah, the young Nicolette Krebitz' looks are probably by far the best thing about this movie. I am honestly glad she makes films nowadays that are far superior to what we have here. But performance-wise nobody stands out at all, even if the script certainly did not help anybody here at all. But it is especially embarrassing in the case of Katja Riemann who I consider a quite untalented actress and who built her success and the fact that she still gets cast in lead roles two decades later on garbage films like this one here. No idea what awards bodies were thinking. Overall, this film is certainly a contender for worst film of 1997 and also a contender for being among the worst films of the 1990s from everywhere. I highly recommend to stay far far away. Also it proves that the likes of Jaenicke, Sawatzki etc. are people who score through recognition value and charisma and definitely not through great range. The crime plot in the center of it all is as crap as everything else in this movie. Nothing makes sense. And sadly, it is also overlong with an embarrassing final sequence/performance. Nothing feels realistic or authentic. Do. Not. Watch.

If I were given a choice as to whether or not all German cinema would be instantly destroyed or not, I would probably have to go for it after seeing this movie. Even though it would mean losing Fritz Lang, Werner Herzog, Wim Wenders, etc., it would be worth it. The only reason I got more than thirty seconds into this movie is that I was assigned to watch it for a class. Otherwise I wouldn't have even made it past the opening credits.

I know all of this ranting can seem a bit vague and hyperbolic, so I figured I would give some specifics as to why this is such a god-awful movie. Let me start by saying that the only virtue of this movie is that it is somewhat well shot although the penultimate scene with its shambolic colorization nearly made me reconsider this. On the whole, however, the film is pretty well shot and looks fairly cinematic. Everything else about this movie is terrible.

The actresses themselves may not be terrible, but the writing is. The dialogue is unrealistic and clichéd. There are many scenes where it doesn't even really make any sense what is going on. The interrogation scene, for example, which sort of seems like it is setting up the final act of the movie (although it turns out not to, sort of) doesn't really make any sense. Throughout the entire movie, there are scenes that are clichéd such as the two characters who initially don't get along, and and yet still manage to not make very much sense. Don't even get me started on plot holes.

The worst part about the writing, however, is that the movie simply isn't believable at all. Not only are the criminals farcically bad, they spent most of the movie evading police who are even worse. Their are many escapes in the movie, none of which are even remotely believable.

I take it back, that probably isn't even the worst part about the writing. The worst part is probably that the characters aren't endearing at all and don't make any sense. The movie tries to rip off some archetypical sort of characters, but can't even do that. They can't even get bland 1-dimensional characters. That's right, this movie has 0-dimensional characters. I couldn't even tell who the main character was until the last half-an-hour of the movie, to be honest, I still don't know.

DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE ENDING.

Let's talk about the music. It sucks. For one, in pretty much every single one of the endless music scenes, it is obvious that the band is not really playing. There is a scene fairly early on of the band playing that clearly shows someone hammering away on the Hammond B3 and yet the song that is playing contains no organ. I'll let it slide if a movie doesn't have incredible attention to detail, but it should have attention to something. It seems like this movie must have been made by total coincidence, as if the various pages of the script blew in on the wind after being cut from other movies and then someone accidentally nudged the record button on the camera while some average citizens mulled about in front of the lights that had been left behind from a music video shoot done the day before. Basically, this movie is terrible. Do not watch it.

i am amazed at the attitude towards subtitled movies in north america, but then it shouldnt be surprising cause reading is considered work by most. i lived in europe for the first 25 years of my life, so i am used to watching movies from many different countries. since i'm living in north america i miss the french and italian thrillers and comedies, historic movies that are written from a different point of view... a non-"we rule the world" point of view people rather wait for hollywood to make a sad copy of a good movie, than watching the original thanks to dvd players that play any region DVD and TVs that can take Pal and NTSC its easier now to see european movies, thanks to online sales and auctions.

I've never really seen any non-english movies before this one that i really liked before or even a good german film before this one and i'd just like to say that this movie really ROCKS!!! it has great songs on it that are in english

Bandits is a film filled with laughter, tears, and good old fashioned Rock'n'roll. And if your a man who thinks this film is just another lowly chick flick you have another thing coming, Bandits is filled with something for everyone and I mean everyone! So if have not seen it get up off your rear, pick up your keys, rent it- buy it, whatever, just remember to keep your keys handy because you just may need to go out and get your hands on the killer soundtrack!!!

i went to a screening last week and all i can say is that this is one of the best films of 1999. the opening credits will grab you. the music is amazing. my friend and i walked out wanting the soundtrack. there are many subtle things happening in the background that you should watch out for. the lead looks a lot like linda fiorentino and her acting ability is of the same caliber. the ending was a bit predictable but done well. definitely worth full price.

...but not worth watching unless you're into chick flicks, which I am

not. I have to give Bandits credit for trying to get artistic, but really,

it's a dumb movie with a dumb storyline and pretty bad acting. I

don't usually go around saying things are "dumb," but I really did

think this movie was dumb. First of all, it's about 12 to 15 years

late. 1985-87 were the years to make a chick flick based on a

musical band of runaway convicts, not 1997. Secondly, there is

no balance between art and reality. You've got to have some sort

of realism, or good humor, if you want the audience to sympathize

with the characters. This movie lacked both. The scenes involving

anger were too fake, the characters not well developed, the

storyline too unbelievable (for lack of a better word), and not only

did it drag on for too long, but what a disappointing and spiritless

ending! I liked the music though. I think it was too tame for the

story and not consistent with the girls' characters, especially since

the most violent girls (Luna) is the founder and singer. They

needed more umph. I gave Bandits a 6 because of the effort, but if it weren't for the

photography, colors, etc. I'd have given it a 3.

The "Bandits" show extraordinary circumstances of the heightened possibilities of human life. The skin shapes in women's prison, which reflect meticulously composed images that threaten to overwhelm the viewer's sensibilities, makes actress Jasmin Tabatabai a personification of the heroine of an action thriller. Her performance makes a compelling passion below her rebellious surface.

The script takes the audience on a ride full of peaks and valleys, forcing them to experience a full range of emotion in a very short time. All four female actresses, Emma (Katja Riemann), Luna, (Jasmin Tabatabai), Angel (Nicolette Krebitz), Marie (Jutta Hoffmann), performed superbly in their scripted characters, yet, none of them is particularly happy with their lot in life.

From the moment they escape from the police vehicle, one thing leads to another and they throw off the shackles of their old existence, and turn, instead, to fugitives-on-the-run and ironically they become celebrities who orchestrate a pop-rock band, "The Bandits," selling their albums while being on the run.

The movie perhaps is articulating the distaff aspects of human life. The women live in a man's world full of sexist slobs. The theme rotates on freedom, not necessarily from the prison, but from a male-ordered universe. The women, have financial freedom, which translated into world terms, and means economic security for the female gender.

Their journey is absolutely a classic one. Four women, buddies, heading out together into the nowhere land, away from structure, away from conventional civilization and responsibilities, sometimes into romantic destruction in the quest for "freedom," at all cost. Outlaw roles usually reserved for males, but viewers here see women coming into self-knowledge and finding their aggressive nature.

In this awe-inspiring acting, Jasmin Tabatabai, a Persian-German actress, plays her role and pattern just perfectly. She has the talent and a great artistic ability and temperament. She has a delightful voice and very expressive face and gestures. She is supremely confident in her ability to create a unique person. She has what it takes to elevate the motion picture to superlative heights.

Acting becomes an art of persuasion for her in the Bandits. She has claimed of the nobility of this art, and then she received the acclaim of her audience. She has become an important element in the success of this movie as the illuminator of the human heart in the society.

Actors must absolutely complement each other in order to come up with a memorable performance, as we see in the Bandits the harmonious and natural performance from our four beautiful German Actresses.

Do you like music ? Rock music ? So there is no way not to watch this unconventional actress-musician combination ! Katja Riemann and Jasmin Tabatabai play and sing all emotions music can spread. Top-talent Hannes Jaennicke proves again being one of the best german actors according to Schell, Brandauer, Mueller-Stahl and Prochnow.

This German film was very watchable. The plot was not very strong, but the cast was great and the music excellent...especially the final song (Don't Forget to) Catch Me. I will be trying to purchase this film in VHS format, as I could watch it again and again. The sub-titles detract a little from it, but I could always learn German I guess.

Excellent movie and sound track. For international movie lovers, a must-see. I have to say that the new Generation of German actors have come a far way. To my luck I know German, and was not dependent on the subtitles. The subtitles are very inaccurate!