The Wave

2011 • 107 minutes

About this movie

Germany today. During project week, high school teacher Rainer Wenger (Jürgen Vogel) comes up with an experiment in order to explain to his students how totalitarian governments work. A role-playing game with tragic results begins. Within a few days, what began with harmless notions like discipline and community builds into a real movement: THE WAVE. By the third day, the students start ostracizing and threatening others. When the conflict finally erupts into violence at an intramural water polo game, the teacher decides to break off the experiment. But it's too late. THE WAVE is out of control...

Ratings and reviews

Can't think of any other film where I sat silently in thought after watching it in response to its content. The Wave helped me see how some sects can come into existence. The whole film is in German with English subtitles, which would typically crush my interest; but in this case, I think language it was set in added to the atmosphere.

Powerful portrayal of how history can and often repeats itself, though in this case being a darker side of history that is bound to lead downhill. A very thought-provoking film.

并没有豆瓣评分和预想的期待中那么好，理念非常好，但电影还是略显拖沓。