A predictable kids tale if there is one. But it's not that bad, even though one of the most charismatic German actors has to be as one-sided as I have ever seen him (talking about Moritz Bleibtreu). But it's not his movie or his story as it is more about the young boys who had to endure a lot early on in their lives.
The film is based on a book which is based on real life events from "back in the day". That makes the story interesting, but the weight seems to have been a bit too much to carry (no pun intended). While there are quite a few moments that will shock you or generally get you caught up in the moment, the overall sense is that something is missing. You can't blame the kids too much and the movie kind of decent, if you like those sort of movies