Although I did see the movie in both versions, original German (as recommended by a viewer) and English, none would convince me to call it a good movie, although it has some nice music that goes into the ear. What bothers most is that it seems to hobble over a number of gaps, where elements just do not fit together, and reason for this may be that Ms Garnier took so long in making it, that by half way through she had so many more ideas she desperately wanted to see included, although they were not worked out at all (or she had really that many influential advisers), that the outcome is a weird mixed salad with no clear direction. However, it is somewhat wonderfully easy to digest thanks to some refreshing dance and music interludes, but that makes it also feel like watching a serious, yet boring movie and keeping the channel on because of frequent interruptions by some excellently done commercials (that advertise any mundane product through creating an association with cool lifestyle). Indeed, the oh-so-yummy! supporting actor is actually a HUGO BOSS perfume model, and all he is able to say (although with a cute accent) is: "Du hast wunderschoene Augen!" (-Guys, even if you don't know what that means, record it and learn it by heart - and swap it for the notorious "Isch liebe Disch!", as shown on screen this phrase will get you any girl into bed!) How fun to get to do a sex-scene a'la MTV video with something like that, no wonder that both of the girls in sexually active age (or as much as the audience wants to imagine) get to have a go. And the great side-effect of that is: the movie shows all the interested guys (and also ladies who feel like it) in the audience how it would be to have sex with the (only?) two types of hip ladies that exist out there: cutesy innocent man-murderer ("Angel"!!!) that even during flight from high-security prison chooses to wear sex-kitten outfit inclusive high-heels, and/or the ever so grumpy =equals irresistibly cool, dark, mysterious "Luna", who all of a sudden with no clothes on, covered in mud and giggling over the just experienced primal fun has lost all her darkness and turns a silly high-school-chick that cheated with the man of her best friend just to have something to do (all that guitar playing gets boring after some time, doesn't it?) until that one returns. Upon sight of her she remembers her sins and is back to being oh so dark once again. There are the two elder inmates, but why bother getting to know them a bit more, because they are not what a young (paying) audience wants to associate with. So their personal drama is limited to mini explanations. The one misses the long-since-dead man who will be met only at his grave, and reunited with just by leaving her body when things turn too rough out there (was she really THAT old, oh my God!?). The other was driven to murder after her partner through beating her up caused the still-birth of their baby. Luna gives the only comment "Tut mir leid!" (I'm sorry), that's enough said. The dialogs in this movie are sparse, which does not make them any better, and somehow the music-lyrics seem to have more body. Once again, as it seems fashion in contemporary German cinema, why do parts of the movie, especially where prison and police-scenes are portrayed, seem way too aggressive and more out of an US action movie? Are Germans ashamed that their authority systems are yet not as brutal as the BIG BROTHER's? Do you want it like that and is that a kind of "lack of cruelty-complex"? Ms Riemann, who learned drumming just for the role of percussionist Emma, shows another unexpected talent, applause for this, although she somehow carries an atmosphere of Doris Doerrie-comedies and does not convince as a killer, nor do the other three ladies for that part. Although according to story each had her reasons it feels rather we are looking at four very nice ladies that were confronted during a very average life with unlucky situations that happened to ask for murder as the only reaction, if not solution, or was it anyways all just an accident? (compare Tom Waits and John Lurie in "Down By Law"!) and if law was not law these sweet ladies would be just going back to their normal lives. Coincidentally united as a music-band, they might have called also it: "We had to" instead of "Bandits". Which is leaving out those people that did kill with different, more complex motives and backgrounds, and a movie about them might be more interesting as a story, but possibly less sexy. The shown end is unrealistic and over-sentimental but considering the other option, making it onto the ship, waving bye-bye to fans and police and forming a nice ocean-cruise entertainment band in red glitter-dresses, I agree: death had to be the only way out.

The actresses in this movie were pretty good, making a fairly clichéd plot Four female convicts start a rock band and escape from, jail, get chased, take a good looking hostage and have sex with him. Along the way they bond and become pop-music superstars. The story could have worked, if it wasn't interrupted every five minutes with a music "video" (it's shot beautifully on 35mm film). I like musicals, whether it's Tommy or Singing in the Rain, but while in those films musical segments create character depth or further the plot, most of the music scenes in Bandits seem like filler. The film is all about surface, and while this surface is often beautiful, the end left me unsatisfied.

This is pretty good directing for a pop rock music video. The entire film is basically a series of music videos glued together with a story that becomes impossible to believe before any of the major plot elements are introduced. If this wasn't in German probably it would be a good hit on the international MTV, but as it is, maybe the German MTV will show it a few times.

The filmakers try to copy a classic Hollywood buddy/ con movie. The outcome is simply bad, bad, bad: the plot, the music, the acting, the lightning, everything is just bad. Worst of all is the directing: obviously the movie was rushed trough principal photography without care or love by the director. Bad camera work and incredible plot holes are nothing compared to the ending which secures this `movie' a place in the movie hall of shame.