Calendario mortal

Klara has an abusive marriage to Martin, but Martin holds something over her. She had mental problems, and was sent to a less than ideal place, so he holds it over her. If she disobeys, he will send her back. And he justifies his abuse in that she accepts it. She has a daughter Amelie that she is very protective of. Jules is working a help line. He used to be in the fire service handling calls, but had a terrible experience, so now is on a help line. His help is to stay with the person who calls for help until the danger has passed, such as when they are walking home at night. One night he gets a call from Klara, who has gotten a message from the Calendar Killer. Either she or her husband will be killed by midnight. For a good part of the movie, one sees how Jules is trying to help her. She knows her husband is very abusive, but she cannot leave him. And many critics simply do not understand what that is all about. Where the movie fails is towards the end, with the twist it takes. And that is unfortunate, as until then, a fairly compelling story, with lots of tension, is presented.

This is a German movie which I started watching in the dubbed English like many dubbed movies the accents and choice of words diminishes the whole character of the movie. The weird posh accents just seemed to robotic, so I watched in German with translation. It was much better

"The Calendar Killer" delivers a tense and chilling thriller that effectively explores the psychological impact of domestic abuse. The film masterfully builds suspense, leaving the audience constantly on edge as Klara's paranoia escalates. The performances are strong, particularly Luise Heyer as Klara, who portrays her character's fear and desperation with raw intensity.

However, the film's reliance on familiar thriller tropes and predictable twists can diminish its impact. The pacing occasionally falters, and some plot points feel contrived. While the exploration of domestic abuse adds a layer of depth, it sometimes overshadows the suspense elements.

Overall, "The Calendar Killer" is a gripping watch with a compelling premise, but it struggles to fully break free from genre conventions. It's a solid thriller that will keep viewers engaged, but may leave some wanting more originality and depth.

And there it is again, and it bothers me as a German viewer especially, the well-known problem of German film: this extreme artificiality. People act and talk according to a script, but not the way they would in real life. Actors act in front of the camera as if they were on a theater stage. The camera is 10 cm in front of their face, but they act as if this were an evening for the 10th row in the 2nd tier. And when you add to that such a thin plot that makes me wonder who didn't notice the huge gaps, the result just can't be good. And it isn't. The movie suffers from many things at once and suffocates from its clichés.

This Sebastian Fitzek adaptation attempts to wrap a serious subject such as domestic violence in a thriller with horror elements, but fails miserably due to the lurid and implausible production. The plot is contrived and overloaded, the characters act irrationally, and any emotion is left by the wayside. Instead of creating concern or suspense, the film loses itself in clichéd twists and pseudo-dramatic moments. A sensitive subject is misused in a clumsy way that not only disappoints but also annoys. Unfortunately a low point, despite solid acting, especially by Luise Heyer - 2.5 out of 10 stars.

I watched The Calendar Killer because it seemed like a short thriller with the potential to entertain me. I wasn't expecting a masterpiece, and maybe that's why I found it competent in keeping the audience engaged.

The plot follows a killer who forces his female victims to choose between dying or killing their own husbands. The story mainly focuses on a woman facing this ultimatum, who finds support from a man working at a domestic abuse helpline. Together, they navigate the tense events of that night in an attempt to survive.

The concept is interesting, and I love "race against time" thrillers. The film managed to hold my attention, especially by addressing sensitive and important topics like domestic violence. However, I felt it lacked balance between suspense, mystery, and drama. There were moments when I was fully immersed in the tense game between the victim and the killer, but they were abruptly interrupted by dramatic scenes that broke the intensity. On the other hand, when I got invested in the protagonist's emotional struggles and complex relationship, I was suddenly thrown back into the fast-paced suspense. The editing didn't help much in this regard, making the narrative feel a bit disjointed.

The plot twists were another weak point for me. While some were interesting, they felt forced and even unrealistic at times. Moreover, a small detail early in the film made me suspicious of the final reveal, which took away some of its impact. But I admit this might be my fault, as I'm quite familiar with the tricks thrillers use to mislead the audience.

Overall, The Calendar Killer isn't a bad film, but it's far from fantastic. It does its job of entertaining and, in the process, touches on an important and heavy topic. However, its approach remains somewhat superficial, never fully exploring the depth of the issue. It's an easy watch, but not a memorable one.