What to Do in Case of Fire

A well executed anarchic comedy with good performances and fitting visuals, supported brilliantly by Radiohead songs. The overall very positive impression (of a German comedy – I wouldn't have believed it myself) is spoiled by the ending, where everything crumbles into an awkward conclusion about nothing. (03/18/2005)

A kind of anarchic sigh for the good old days. It entertained me for the first half hour, not so much for the second half hour, and in the end disappointed me with how it sounded – nothing. The duo Schweiger-Feifel was great, though. (09/25/2011)

When this movie came to existence, every single professional, semi-professional and non-professional (aka uneducated) person alike claimed that German cinematography sucked. But they didn’t get to see a movie like this one, for example. An interesting idea, a return to Germany’s recent past has intrigued me, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that it all could have been even more interesting. By the way, Til Schweiger has always been quite the devil. (11/02/2012)

A nice case of a film where the screenwriter and director obviously assume that I should sympathize with their characters, whereas I find the other side of the barricade, in the form of a police commissioner, somewhat more sympathetic, who is portrayed almost as a half-fascist. I can have - and I'm not saying that I do - sympathy for squatters or professional demonstrators for a better world, but when someone sets up an explosion, it is no longer a deed I would consider acceptable. It is simply a crime in every sense, especially when it is set up as cunningly as in this film. That is not a matter of protest, but a downright destructive and vile attack. Similarly, the atmosphere of pleasant nostalgia is entirely false; you simply cannot return to what was before. In this aspect, after 25 years, Snowdrops and Aces is much more sincere. This film doesn't offend me, of course, because, after all, it's a comedy, in which many things can be forgiven (although the screenplay could have been a bit smarter and could have better handled the ease with which the group of former anarchists outsmarts the police, in a style of where did they come from, there they are, they penetrated the most heavily guarded police headquarters in the country). Moreover, it is cast with charismatic and high-quality actors who contribute to the success of the German New Wave. A retired member of the Red Army Faction or the Red Brigades in Italy could easily identify with this film and claim that this is exactly how they felt. Or even more so, a leftist who spins dreams of a world revolution and building an earthly paradise in comfort. The problem is not what the film is about, but rather the superficiality of the approach. A film like Fight Club managed to present anarchist ideas and ideals of revolt, contempt for authority, and unlimited freedom in a much more provoking and clever way. Overall impression: 50%. (02/09/2012)