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Overall Rating : 5/10
Directed By : Martin Weisz
Keri Russell (August Rush)
Thomas Kretschmann (Wanted)
Thomas Huber (Æon Flux )
Rainier Meissner
Supplied By : Phase 4 Films
Film Reviewed By : Rick L. Blalock
Date Reviewed : July. 20, 2010
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| PLOT Graduate student Katie Armstrong researches cannibal killer Oliver Hagen for her thesis, she becomes obsessed with her subject and ultimately plunges into a lifestyle similar to Hagen's and the thousands of people like him. Based on a true story. |
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| THE REVIEW GRIMM LOVE is a film that follows Graduate student Katie Armstrong. Katie just so happens to have a thesis coming up for her criminal psychology class, and has the topic of her thesis, she chooses cannibal killer Oliver Hartwin, and his subsequent victim Simon Grombeck. Now living in Germany, it is this very case that brought her to the country, so naturally she chose the subject, merely as an excuse to delve deeper into the story. Told mostly in flashbacks featuring the two men, from the time the two meet in an online cannibal message board, progressing to the end of the story, in which, Hartwin slaughters, and ultimately eats Grombeck. We watch as the research for the thesis takes Katie to both the childhood homes of Simon an Oliver, and even to Oliver's old school and residence. The more and more information that she gains, seems to further her obsession, even to the point that she tracks down a copy of the footage taped by Hartwin as he committed the heinous crime. Martin Weisz' GRIMM LOVE(originally titled ROHTENBURG), is based on the real story of the cannibalistic killer from Germany, Armin Meiwe. Meiwes, sometime in 2002 began placing adds on an internet message board looking for a "well built", man in which he wanted to eat. Many people responded to the ad, but most backed out once the act was to go down - except one. A young man named Bernd Jürgen Brandes responded and was more than eager to be Meiwes' victim. Eventually the two met and Brandes willingly allowed Meiwes to do the deed, first attempting to consume part of Brandes along with him before killing him. Meiwes' sick urges continued on for months until he ran out of flesh to consume. Further ads for even more victims would eventually lead to his downfall, as he was later caught, after rousing too much suspicion. While the real story is far more graphic than I will post here, GRIMM LOVE is a film that is more a project that was inspired by, rather than anything completely factual based. The story outline, is pretty much the same as far as the two German men meeting up in real life, all the way up to the murder and cannibalism which occurred. The film of course takes the liberty of creating two fictitious male characters, while creating back stories via flashbacks consisting of possible reasons as to why the men arrived at that final point. Within Simon, the would be victim's back story, we see a man who had a rough childhood, during which he lost his mother after an apparent suicide. Simon, a gay male, grows up all his life believing that he was the cause of her death. We ultimately see a man riddled with guilt an loneliness. Growing up not too far from Simon, was Oliver, who shared a similar childhood not unlike Simon's His father left his mother at an early age, leaving his mother as the soul provider. Oliver's mother would remain with him until her passing, and it is her death that essentially turns his life and mind upside down. Connecting the story of these to men is the principal story of the Graduate student, Katie, and her obsession with the case. Prior to seeing this film, a friend of mine had told me about the case of Armin Miewes, and of this movie. So I was well aware before seeing this, I was also well aware that the said friend said GRIMM LOVE was a film that made him fall asleep before finishing it. With that never being a good sign, to watch this film I went, expecting the worst, but hoping for something that is at least better than the Serial Killer flicks that I have been seeing from the likes of Director Ulli Lommel. To be fair, GRIMM LOVE is a pretty decent effort, although it's far from great. After the film was over, I couldn't help but to think that the film was sort of incomplete. Further research upon the film will reveal that this is an accurate assumption, seeing as nearly 20 minutes worth of footage featuring the Katie character was apparently removed in the film's final cut> The 20 minutes is said to have featured a boyfriend character for Katie, a character that is missing completely from the finalized version of the film. In my opinion, the film just did not feature Keri Russell's Katie character enough, as we know only a little about her. Instead of being this intriguing story about a Grad student who gets so caught up in a true crime story, that her obsession makes it impossible to tear way from, instead it feels as if her thesis paper is being played out in live action before our eyes. In other words, it's a film that just merely scratches the surface of it's subject, rather than breaking the story down in detail. It's an ok briefing on the story, but not one that you necessarily gain any knowledge from. With that said, none of the film's characters are truly compelling, although all involve seem to give it their all. As I hinted on, a majority of the film is carried by the two male actors, Thomas Huber and Thomas Kretschmann, who portray Simon Grombeck and Oliver Hartwin respectively. Staring as the wide-eyed Graduate student Katie Armstrong is Kerri Russell. To me, the Katie character is far less interesting than she should've been - as I said there just was not enough of her own story told here. Russell does do her best with what she's given however, and I have to say that she's also amazingly beautiful in this film(but that is beside the point). Overall, GRIMM LOVE is a good film for when you're looking to getting an overall generalization of the story that inspired the film, but as I said, don't expect any sort of in depth insight. |
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| GORE
METER 3.5 For a film that would seem to be ultra gory, GRIMM LOVE is a pretty dry affair. While much of the graphic nature of the film is mere suggestive, there is a little blood shown, but not much. |
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MUSICAL
SCORE 2/10 Honestly, I don't remember much of the film's score, mostly low suspense. | ||||
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| OVERALL
IMPRESSION OF THE FILM Going into GRIMM LOVE, I honestly wasn't expecting to like it, as it turns out, although I didn't love it, I thought it was ok. But as I mentioned it doesn't truly go into details, as there is no really story build up, the film basically speeds it's way through the facts until it arrives to the key conclusion. It's decent, but i'm sure that there are better resources on the subject elsewhere. Be sure to check out FangoriaFrightfest.com you have until July 19th to vote for your favorite to win a theatrical run! Each FANGORIA FRIGHTFEST film will be available through Blockbuster stores and Blockbuster By Mail, as well as digitally via Blockbuster On Demand for a full 45 days before they are available for purchase or rental through other national home entertainment providers.They then will be released on DVD, September 28, 2010 |
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