Die Erben

Any film that deals with the horrors of war is nasty on its very own base.But, when faced with the horrors that came from one of the most insane minds ever, things get worse. This film deals with a revival, of sorts of the Nazi ideals through a terribly mislead and dysfunctional group of very young people, drawn to the darkest pits of their reality. Political or not, this film would be branded politically incorrect in all aspects. And it is, indeed.

The worst of its drawbacks is just that its own incorrect political issues were later (and still are) a sad fuel for some youngsters who believe their Fatherland should be defended the way Hitler did, and by the same means, even if their own were to be abolished from Earth. The deep consequences of the turmoil provoked in their minds (those of the young people who join the Youth Group or Party) suddenly turns into an unstopping vortex of violence.

All moral barriers are violated here. The only driving passion is the Party. The stories told are some kind of reliving the worst of the darkest times of war from the standpoint of the Nazi Reich.

Well sorted, acted, filmed and scored, the film exudes reality. Since German is the language, the film sometimes gets too "Hitlerian". Thomas's mother being the most unnerving character (every bit of her admonitions are as Hitlerian as they can be, and well over the top). The rest are good at doing their job. It's a substantial film, but, definitely, not for the faint hearted.

You'll find moments of pure repulsion and scenes when you don't want to hear what's been said. I'm not Jewish, but it hit me as hard as if I were. The depiction of some gruesome dialogues and representations are simply disgusting.

A great film with maybe too many gratuitous sex scenes, and with an eerie powerful omen of things to be in forthcoming years.