Movie #12: Antibodies

Date Watched: 1/16/10
Viewing: 1st

Don't judge this movie upfront based on the movie cover and the fact that it is German. It makes it look like an unsophisticated horror movie that involves lots of gore and little thought. Let me guarantee you, it's not. The police catch who they believe to be a serial murderer, but need a confession out of. At the same time, a local police officer believes a murder in his town a few years ago might be related and goes to the city to find out, so his town can finally have some peace.

This movie was so intense. The initial scene involves the aforementioned capture and gives you your first glimpse into the dark world of Gabriel Engel, the serial murderer. What I loved about this movie was, like the movie before this, they kept everything very realistic. But, at the same time they added such a dark and twisted antagonist that truly got in your head. The whole local cop talking to the serial murderer does mimic "Silence of the Lambs" (Anthony Hopkins was classic). However this killer is just as sophisticated, maybe not polished, but dark, twisted, smart, disturbed and most of all unstable. I think he is more frightening despite the fact that he doesn't eat his victims. The movie has lovely commentary on evil and where it comes from. How it is almost contagious and how it develops and evolves over time. The plot is very detailed and there are some twists along the way. The acting was very good and each character well thought out and developed. I was watching this alone at night, but it was the first time in a while that i was scared walking through my empty, dark, silent house to get water. It's because I believe there are people out there that are doing crazy things like this as hard as it is for us to believe. A movie like this provides much more frightening images and fears than something so ludicrous like "Paranormal Activity" or "Friday the 13th".

Overall, one of the best movies I've seen in a while. I love the thriller/mystery/murder genre so there might be something to that, but it was very original and well made. I loved almost everything about it.

I would recommend it if: you liked "Silence of the Lambs", like serial killer movies, want to see a good, timely discussion of evil, like disturbing movies, or want to further a bad stereotype of the Germans.

Rating: 5 Stars