"Tattoo" is the first feature film from writer and director Robert Schwentke. When it came out in 2002, August Diehl was huge rising star in Germany. I actually like him, but as the film progressed, I felt it was really much more about the actor in the center of the movie then about a good story. I did not like the path they took with the tattoos and the story behind the murders. I wish it would just have been one single-acting sociopath who turns out as a ritual murderer.Apart from that, it has to be mentioned that Redl's and Diehl's character are almost equal at the beginning of the film, but it all switches much more towards Diehl. the way Redl's character was written out of the film was particularly disappointing with how much focus was on him early on. All we find out about his family history was just means to have Diehl's character meet his daughter later on. He turned from a lead into a completely pointless character in roughly 90 minutes. I found myself thinking that Diehl could be the killer or that Redl could be the killer during the film. I was wrong both times. With Redl as the killer, it may have been a mixture of "Training Day" and "Collateral". Anyway, things take a turn for the worse when that one guy kills himself with Diehl's weapon. That scene was maybe the most cringeworthy moment of the entire movie and I felt that they completely sacrificed a credible script for just random showy action scenes at this point. And the whole cop-witness attraction between Diehl's and Krebitz' characters was too cliché for my taste too. And finally, the transformation from a "weakling" almost into a badass cop from Diehl's character did not feel really credible either.The first half of the film is solid, the second half is considerably weaker. As a whole, I would not recommend this film. I wish they would have kept both protagonists in the center of the story. I quite like August Diehl as an actor, but that script was just too much centered around him. Also, the film lost a bit credibility when almost everybody is suddenly tattooed, like Krebitz' character or also Diehl at the very end.

Tattoo (2002)What a crazy movie, the movie start of with a lady who is naked walking in the rain, her back as just been skinned off, then she gets hit by a bus that crash and blows up.Then police are investigation that body at morgue and find out that there finger in side her, she as bit of the attack sh-allowed!That was just first 4 minutes of the movie , the action packed for the first hour so, fast moving, it gets little slower just after hour into movie but it dose not last long, as pick up speed again for last 20 minutes.I did not get the ending at all, I wish it was bit was clear.Really good movie and great acting in the movie.7 out of 10

Such an amazingly shot movie.The actors were great, and lets admit it, Maya is gorgeous.I rented this from a small rental place here in Edmonton called The Lobby, that rents all sorts of cult films.Seriously a great watch. Probably only good for one watch, but worth it.the artwork was gorgeous as well. anyone who likes body art will think they're great, and then hide them a little more.If you get the chance to watch this I totally suggest it. A great gate way into horror films in Germany.Witty characters with startling depth, decent writing, GREAT acting, and wonderful set effects. keep an eye out for this great movie.

Well, I generally don't have a very high opinion about German movies. This movie I just saw because it happened to be the Sneak Preview movie of the week.I was not totally disappointed. The movie tells an interesting serial murder mystery and succeeds in thrilling the viewer with a lot of well done cinematographic tricks. But let's be honest: Se7en certainly comes to mind every minute during the whole movie.What do we have here? We have a young detective at the murder department, August Diehl is the German version of Brad Pitt. He certainly does a good job there.Then we have the grumpy old Morgan Freeman character, Pitts, pardon, Diehls partner.We have the setting: An ugly collection of dark and gritty rooms, followed by ugly suburbian areas followed by rainy night scenes followed be ugly dark rooms again. Message to all foreigners: It's NOT raining all the time in Germany - but of course it's raining all the time in Se7en too :-)Further Se7en elements: The serial murder plot, the special delivery to one of the detectives, the (not too) surprising solution and the huge amount of blood and gore.Oh, but we have no Gwyneth Paltrow here and instead of the seven mortal sins the focus of the story is on splendid tattoos.