Customer Reviews

The Princess and the Warrior

5 star:		(71)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

"Princess" triggered the old water works, by no means an easy feat with me. I was in Blockbuster recently and the checkout guy told me I was renting out my 500th video. That made me feel vaguely ashamed, considering that most movies are junk. Every once in a while though, we discover a gem that justifies all the crapola that insults our intelligence. This is one such gem. Look at my other reviews; I don't hand out five stars all that often. Instead, I usually trash movies, as most of 'em deserve.

Besides the very moving scenes that will raise goosebumps on anybody with a pulse, what I love about this film is the originality and meticulous care and planning that went into every aspect. I have never seen a movie remotely like this. The language barrier (German) was rapidly overcome by the expressive acting, so universal that a person of any land can understand. The nurse (the same actress who played in "Run, Lola, Run", a good film also) is easily among the best actresses in the world.

[WARNING-PLOT ELEMENTS REVEALED IN THIS PARAGRAPH.] In a nutshell, a thief saves the life of a nurse during a traffic accident. Then he exits from her life. After her recovery, she returns to her rather boring passionless life at a psychiatric hospital, but she cannot overcome her longing for this mysterious man. Next begins her struggle to find, and once finding, to win over this indifferent, hostile warrior who is tormented by nightly visitations from a dead girlfriend.

Now I will place a little caveat here. I loaned this out to a Mormon acquaintance and all she could say was how horrified she was that the nurse performs a sexual act which she judged gratuitous. If that sort of thing bothers you, definitely avoid. Look at Linda Linguvic's review below. She is a "Top 50" reviewer as I write this, so obviously many people share her "aversions" to "strange" movies. I am only a "top 32,000" reviewer and receive a large proportion of "Not Helpful" votes from people who disagree with me. But this movie made me cry, and I can count the movies that do that on one hand, and I have watched thousands.

If Hollywood's formula drivel leaves you cold, and you like Romance, then give this German gem a spin.

I never saw the thrill of 'Run Lola Run.' To me, it was trying a little too hard to be hip, and not really succeeding.

'Princess and the Warrior,' however, is a different story. Both visually breathtaking and thought provoking, the film brings up questions about love, death, and destiny. Franka Potente is absolutely stunning in her role as a sheltered nurse who pursues the man who saved her life . . . and who appears in her dreams.

Many people are reluctant to watch a foreign film, uneasy with having to read and watch at the same time. Yet when the foreign film is excellent, something magical happens. You forget that you're reading at all.

'Princess and Warrior' is one of those films.

...but that does not stop this film from being very well done. America we have got to embrace Tom Tykwer! This man makes tantalizing motion pictures. The Princess and the Warrior is not like Run Lola Run so for viewers caught up in the hype of that film you may be disappointed, but you should not be. This film lives up to it's hype and is another beautiful puzzle from the world of Tykwer.

Franka Potente plays a nurse working in a mental hospital when fate, and a horrific accident, brings Bodo into her life. He is a troubled man, who's anguish over his past has left him on the edge of insanity. Actually there is really no reason to say more. So many things in this film come full circle it is better to not dicuss them, but there are chases, guns, a bank robbery, love, and death. The simple twists give the movie depth and keep it engaging from start to finish. That and it is a visual masterpiece. There are shots in this movie I have never seen before. Additionally the transitions are innovative and, of course, the music is awesome. Potente and Benno Furmann are exceptional in the lead roles both giving layer upon layer to their complex characters.

This movie was so well writen and directed by Tykwer. He just seems to make the impossible possible. If you liked Run Lola Run you should see this film and if you didn't see Lola you should. Then see this and also Winter Sleepers, another Tykwer film. All of them are unique pictures. Upon watching them people will understand why this guy is one of the most talented new filmmakers in the world.

It is criminal that, when writing a review for Tom Tykwer's masterly "The Princess & The Warrior", you almost need to mention Tykwer's previous film, 1999's "Run Lola Run". Using flash-cuts, still photographs, animation, black-and-white stock, digital video and slow-motion photography, amongst other cinematic techniques, Tykwer's sophomore effort, following his little-seen debut "Wintersleepers", announced a new wild, energetic talent behind the camera of world cinema, as well as a new pretty face infront of it in 'Lola' herself, Franka Potente. Two years later, Tykwer follows up "Lola" with something almost completely different in tone and execution, trading in "Lola's" kinetic energy with a leisurely-paced fable that would knock Jean-Pierre Jeunet's "Amelie" out for six.

Of course, the comparisons with "Lola" can yield a few results, with some key actors (Franka Potente, Joachim Krol, Lars Rudolph) returning along with some key crew members, including "Lola's" adventurous director of photography Frank Griebe. But, compared to "Lola's" full-on assault on the senses, "Princess" washes over you like a giant tsunami, thanks in large part to its gorgeous cinematography, luminous production design and some nifty special effects (including a specific moment that David Fincher would be proud of). Of particular mention is the score by Tykwer himself and his co-composers Johnny Klimek and Reinhold Heil (otherwise known as Pale 3), who after granting "Lola" a score that would go down a storm at a rave, expertly wrack up the tension using a more classically influenced sound.

Tykwer's bold script and direction remain the catalyst for these factors though. It is testament to his savvy that he gets inside of both Sissi and Bodo's heads and projects their points of view towards the audience in an unpredictable way, avoiding narration for the most part and letting some searing visuals tell us the story; the closing scenes are of reference here as it perfectly captures Bodo's state of mind and his final accepting decision without hardly any lines of dialogue whatsoever. The script, meanwhile, throws in a bank robbery, a loony asylum and a blind medium, amongst other plot devices, that serve the story rather than clog up the narrative, which remains tightly focused on the sparsely-worded relationship between Sissi and Bodo.

The acting is wonderful, also, particularly from the two leads. Of course it helps that both of them have amazingly expressive faces, particularly Franka Potente's perfectly formed mouth and Benno Furmann's bluer-than-blue eyes, and are pretty damn attractive as well. Potente answers the critics who slandered her performance in "Lola" as consisting largely of running with a moving performance as Sissi, who could be Amelie Poulain's older, more mature, sexier cousin whilst Furmann unloads some alarming emotional moments most actors in Hollywood wouldn't be able to pull off (and gets naked a couple of times too!). As well as a cast of German supporting players who could eat the "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" inmates for breakfast, Joachim Krol, the tramp in "Lola" who has the elusive money, as Bodo's older, protective brother and Lars Rudolph, the S&M fetishist-turned-bank teller in "Lola", as Sissi's disturbed admirer ably support the leads throughout.

How this film was ignored by so many people, particularly academy voters, is beyond me; but anyone who's seen "Lola" and is intrigued by what Tykwer came up with next, before his English-language debut "Heaven" with Cate Blanchett and Giovanni Ribisi, mind, ought to check this sweetly romantic yet challengingly dark feature film, if not for Tykwer than for Potente and Furmann, two stars in the making. If that doesn't sway you, the DVD itself has two audio commentaries, deleted scenes and a 40-minute making-of documentary. A worthy package for a more-than-worthy film.

Upon seeing "Run Lola Run" at Sundance, I was immediately taken away with Tom Tykwer's visual stylizations, his camerawork, and his music. A hyperkinetic reality was played out and the audience gave the film a standing ovation. It was a breathtaking moviegoing experience.

My expectations for "The Princess and the Warrior" were set high, but nothing prepared me for the impact this film had. An even better film than "Run Lola Run", "Princess" deals directly with issues of fate, chance, and circumstance; this is a movie Kieslowski would have loved. Tykwer takes his themes from "Run Lola Run" and extends them, building on them, creating a juggernaut of emotions. From the intense tracheotomy scene (graphically filmed but poignant at the same time) to the nail-biting climax, "Princess" never fails to provoke the mind or heart.

If there is a flaw in the film, it would have to be the a ten-minute section when our heroine Sissi (Potente) takes her "warrior" to the asylum. For a brief time, the film's plot seems to pause for some character realization. Apart from that, the film doesn't let up. It drives with its pulsating music (scored by Tykwer and co.), it challenges your ideals with its story, and it makes you care about the characters in the end. During its "Thelma & Louise"-type climax, I nearly screamed out in terror. These two characters get to your heart and during the final ten minutes, a wide variety of emotions pours through the screen. When the credits roll, you're virtually left drained of energy, and yet thrilled at the same time.

Tom Tykwer amazingly improved his storytelling skills with his "Run Lola Run" follow-up, and this will hopefully not be shuffled away to the dark corners of Blockbuster. A powerful, thought-provoking experience, Tykwer's film is everything we could ever want from a Hollywood feature--minus the Hollywood. Released in the U.S. in 2001, it landed my treasured #1 spot for Best Film of the Year. Don't take my word for it though. Rent it and see for yourself.

Is an insane asylum a valid metaphor for one's birth family? When a life-changing event takes place, how can one determine whether it is significant fate or random chance? How much courage is required to risk everything you have on a leap of faith? Does love have the power to redeem a lost and bitter soul? Whew...not exactly superficial stuff!

Treating any one of these themes with a modicum of success might bring thunderous accolades raining upon a Hollywood production but, without so much as a fanfare, German director/writer Tom Tykwer succeeds in tackling all of them by use of coincidence as a plot device and thanks to a gutsy performance by amazing actress Franka Potente, whom he also directed in Run, Lola Run.

Such big questions are usually the stuff of classic novels, not hip cinema, but Tykwer is sui generis in many ways: for example, his inventive camera shots are brilliant, as is his success with the actors.

The final image in the movie has stayed with this viewer for a long time. A second viewing held up remarkably well, too. The Princess and the Warrior is exemplary cinema.

Tom Tykwer is my new hero. I know that some people are down on Princess because it's very different from Lola, but to me it's a real joy to go to the theater and see something so genuinely different from Tykwer's last film. He's a director who's willing to take risks and that's part of what makes his films so exciting to watch.

This movie is amazing in a different way than Lola but some of the same elements are here: a fate-driven storyline, some breathtaking cinematography, spot on acting by Potente (her role here is so different from Lola, but still powerful--as if sleeping beauty could get up and walk around) and a soundtrack that's just RIGHT for the film in so many ways. The leisurely pace enhanced the movie, not only because it gave me time to appreciate some of the beautiful shots, but also because it made me feel the fate that was working in the film.

Though Princess is longer than Lola, I was never bored. It kept my interest from start to finish. For me, that puts it head and shoulders above a lot of other things I've seen lately.

"Der Krieger und die Kaiserin" (the literal translation is The Empress and the Warrior, but the director preferred "princess" for the English version) is the sixth film from young German director Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run). I'd looked at the DVD several times before, curious, but when I finally watched it, I was disturbed by several gory scenes and the dark tone of the picture. However, like driving by a brutal accident, you can't help but look. This film was the same way for me...it haunted me for days until I sat down and watched it again with a new appreciation for Mr. Tykver's craft.

Instead of giving away any of the plot, you have to see the film for yourself to make sense of the multiple storylines. I will say that fate and destiny are at the heart of the film. "The Princess and the Warrior" runs a little over two hours, and does feel like it could have benefited from tighter editing in spots. There are several disturbing sequences (a sexual act between a nurse and a patient, an emergency tracheotomy, suicide attempts, murder) that are definitely not for the faint of heart (hence the R rating).

The story is slow to unfold, but ultimately rewarding. Instead of the intense energy that bathed Run Lola Run, The Princess and the Warrior is more subdued; a downward spiral of depression, dark desires, painful secrets, and finally, redemption by love. The haunting music (composed by Tykwer) perfectly complements the melancholic tension onscreen---single heavy piano notes fading into silence, bells, and the eerie theme song "You Can't Find Peace" (the music video is included on the DVD).

The DVD transfer deserves an A+. Great care was taken in terms of menu design (although the chapter menu can be a bit confusing at first) and extras (making of, numerous deleted scenes, music video, cast (Franka Potente, Benno Fürmann) and director's commentary, filmographies, trailers and more). The making of, like most making ofs, includes more shots from the actual film than behind-the-scenes (and is entirely in German to boot). If you want to hear the real scoop, be sure to listen to the various audio commentaries. The commentaries are generally fun and interesting (all the cast and crew speak near-native English), and the actors talk about scene motivation, grueling shoots, and funny memories from the set. I would recommend renting this movie before purchasing it, as it will only appeal to a certain audience.

Run Lola Run was a big surprise for me, I had no idea what to expect when I bought it used at Hollywood Video store. Yet even with how much I loved Run Lola Run, the Princess and the Warrior even surpasses it, and in so many ways. For how often is it we see a movie involving young lovers that either A.) Doesn't have Freddy Prinze Jr. in it, B.) Isn't incredibly stupid, C.) Actually develops its characters and D.) Is far from routine? Never. We never see a movie like this, Tom Tywker chooses his characters so carefully and the actors fit their roles so perfectly that we feel one with them through every scene. This movie loves its characters and story too much to fall into a routine romance movie, instead we are left with a stunning view of fate, redemption, destiny and love in some of the most unlikely places. I have not seen a more beautiful romance movie my entire life.

"Endlessly imaginative and unpredictable...A dazzling fable of love, destiny and redemption." Kevin Thomas / Los Angeles Times. There are many terrific reviews about this movie that I deeply appreciate. (Cdset's review was the reason I bought this.) I'm happy how it touches people. TPATW is one of the best films I've ever seen in many regards. The artistry and symbolism (especially in the scenes with water--notice how Tykwer opens and closes the film with water, plus many more times it is used as if to punctuate a unforgettable moment in time such as in the falling rain); the music that always encapsulates the many moods of the film but most of all, is how much is expressed without words by the eyes of the actors. It is extremely impressive and profoundly amazing to me how much the viewer can interpret through the eyes of the actors. TPATW is an accomplishment to Tykwer, such a visionary director and a man of details that understands the eyes are windows to the soul. If only more movies were like this with so much expression in the eyes and body movements. Also the camera work is amazing. I love one of the opening scenes at the bridge with an upside down shot that rotates 180 degrees on Benno Furmann.

The Princess and the Warrior is one of my all-time favorite movies for countless reasons, too many to name here, but I wanted to highly recommend it. It has English subtitles but they don't speak fast so you can read the short lines and still thoroughly enjoy the film.

* What I take from this movie is that Anything can happen if it is Meant to be and it reminds me that often choices are right even though they may appear wrong to others because no one knows my heart but myself and God, and most of all, as Sissi says in the movie, "Nothing's meaningless."

Please, don't miss this movie.

Soar!