The movie was probably one of the best movies I've watched, it elicited not just thoughts and emotions but a physical reaction as well. I have never reacted this way to a movie. It was disturbing and traumatizing in the most beautiful sense. I love to test my mental boundaries and indeed this movie did it for me; it danced around my threshold for psychologically distressing works of art. I'm not forgetting this one anytime soon (or rather, the mental masochist within me hopes I don't).Das Experiment was intense, definitely (an understatement). But the build-up of this tension was handled so masterfully, in terms of the pacing of the movie. In summary, it is about a group of men who volunteer for a high-paying experiment; a simulation of prison life and the power struggles average men undergo when some men are given the role of being guards, and others, prisoners. I think you can imagine how it turns out. I feel that things got out of hand a little early in the experiment portrayed (but not in the pacing of the movie), but what can I say, I'm not a psychologist and I haven't read up on the actual experiment. Moving on, the bulk of the movie was very thought-provoking for me, and I had to let those thoughts pour out on in a longer version of this review, on my blog. The point where I stopped thinking is when the movie got so intense and what was happening felt so inhumane and unfair that I just broke down. I was distressed with the characters' situation and I could not take it anymore. It wasn't sadness, so I felt like it was really a break down from the intensity of the movie. After that I guess I stopped thinking too much and focused more on the eventual resolve of the movie. The scenes preceding the resolve were intense and exciting as well, but at this point I was just taking it all in more passively than before. In summary, it was raw, gripping and well-paced; I give it a 9/10.

Based on a already gripping true story, this German gem takes your heart out and plays around with it in this uncomfortable masterpiece. Already when the main character Tarek is tested for claustrophobic spaces, you get the feeling something's going to go wrong. The Stanford Prison Experiment this is based on (though more specifically based on the book "Black Box") plays out that twenty people are given the roles of prisoners and guards. The guards get huge advantages and can boss around very much as long as they don't use violence while the prisoners have no advantages whatsoever and have to watch their ass carefully is they don't want to get winded up in anything. Some of the prisoners, especially Tarek, begins provoking the guards almost from the very start and the more intense it gets, the more you start to shudder and feel like you are taped to an electric chair. I won't spoil too much, but I can say that pissing off the guards is not a particularly neat idea as they use drastic methods as early as on the second day, though partly it's also THEIR own fault that everything gets out of hand. The punishments the guards uses get all the more crueler. Not only that, but one of the organizers, Dr. Klaus, is completely oblivious to the seriousness of the continuing escalation... Moritz Bleibtreu is fantastic as the teaser who pushes the limits way too much and just as excellent is Justus von Dohnányl as Berus, the coldest prison guard you'll ever see. The dynamic between those two is great and another reason why you'd be a fool to miss out on this breathtaking experience! The cinematography is mesmerizing, nicely shifting between orange, blue and green. The music is not that present, but it's great also. The only minor criticism I have is that the relationship between Tarek and Dora is developed too quickly, but otherwise, it's a hit!

The best group psychological behavior movie since long, or how would act/do most human under the Authority agreement, considering the fact that most people have sadistic and/or submissive potentials (under certain circumstances), as long as there is a strong leader in any group.The Stanford Experiment is the basis of this movie, and even though the conclusions of the S.E. were contested, with comprehensive reasons from a scientific point of view, for my humble understanding of human nature, I unfortunately have to agree the conclusions are definitively true.Many comments do take in consideration Abu Graib, or the last WW2, but it's only because we know nothing about what is still going on every day of the year, in too many countries.Newspapers make a big thing every once a few years, but it's only because the Freedom of Knowledge is quiet under control on this Earth, as long there are only very few courageous journalist/politicians/legal actors/banking or industry leaders/and/or individuals that really act/shout against Unjustice, because most of them live and make money on it ! (except last category)And second (the possible main point), they are mostly friends, even apparently and publicly they disagree with each other.I remember an incredible thing that happened in Madagascar in 1992, or 1993; I was working there 4 months a year (for 8 consecutive years), and since 1991, there was a big clash between the then actual President ("elected dictator") Ratsiraka and the opposition of most malagasy people, politicians included.For the background, that year there was a manifestation and one million people marched against the president palace. My malagasy friends told me to come... I just replied that was may be not the best way to do, because president's were no good boys... However this day according to the government, there were about 12 officially dead, killed in a "self-defensive response" from the guards, but it was from an helicopter gun machine and the more reality there were about 200 persons who were killed this day (according Red Cross)... Sad you'd say... obviously me too !But coming back to the "Newspapers paragraph" above, what really puts me down is that a few time later there was a direct TV show between two representatives of the government and two from the "opposition" party, and a journalist. As the talks went on, they all started quiet politely, but more and more it went on were really becoming aggressive, to almost shout against each other at the end, I mean government and opposition people.The only one who tried to cool it down was the TV showman... who at the end of the official program thanked every one...This was the end of the program... BUT the camera continued to shoot on live...After about 30 seconds everyone started to chat and laugh to each other very friendly, and pleasant again ! The show was supposed to be off program, no more shooting...This very day, I will never forget !2 minutes ago they were all together apparently showing a real and true disagreement, talking about how many were killed, arguing, and so on, almost fighting...Then laughing and chatting...If you consider this story, this is not exactly the topic of this movie... but close to what I'm saying : most people collaborate, even though it possibly does not please them entirely.Following other "happenings" I've seen before I thought I was no more so naive...For everything what is in The Experiment, it's brilliant, the only weakling thing is the woman flashback, but it's a very minor thing, to cut down the tension, but finally helps to reinforce it afterward. The escalate is real, the acting and script and filming is all together compact, for real !At the end, I just cried, not for the movie, I know it's one !But because this could help many to realise and behave differently...The "Authority" is always a bad thing, unless it's not due to self respect to the authority's kindness and knowledge which should only be taken as a positive example.For me, may be only the Dalai Lama is a worldwide known person (to me) who really is a true example, and as for he's not invited in a main ecclesiastic conference, I just laugh : one of the Only !To kill someone, is a bad thing, an horrible thing, but if you do it under the Authority consent because it tells you have the obligation and right to do it otherwise you'll be the next one on the list to be killed and not ONLY because YOU are sincerely convinced you must do it for your deepest belief AND for your personal soul justice (if it does possibly exist), then you may enter in doing things how we see in this movie.Of course, it's not easy : self respect is a difficult thing to deal with, for everyone...It reminds me another brilliant must see movie : Closet Land (1991), which deals too with the topic, beautifully shots, but only with an inmate and a woman prisoner.I wonder if any movie maker could translate and adapt the topic... for a children movie !It seems, since a few years, in Europe and particularly in Germany, they are again excellent directors, who deals with the notion of Autority or Power abuse...Die Welle (The Wave) (2008) is also a damned good example.Anyway for The Experiment, just take the helicopter for you next dealer... (but just don't shoot him :-)or easier, take the phone to buy/rent/steal (for the last word, I do sincerely discourage it:-) this must see movie ! *** a film is never really good unless the camera is an eyes in the head of a poet Orson Welles ***

At least it did on the screen. The story behind this movie isn't as charming. I must note that Das Experiment caught my attention after I recently watched the remake of this movie (The Experiment). After being disappointed with that movie (but somewhat fascinated by the matter) I read that the original is much better. And the critics weren't wrong. Das Experiment is the total package. A movie with depth, realism and great directing and acting. The movie makes you think. The tension build up. Nothing feels forced. We are sucked into the movie and feel like we're dealing with real people and real behavior. No silly copouts or plot holes. A movie about human nature, group-dynamics; what will happen when you put a group of people (all with very different personalities) in a small, stressful environment for a long period of time.. All around a great and quite brutal movie about human nature. 10/10