Who Am I (2014) Review
Who Am I is an incredible German film about hackers. It's thrilling, it's fun, and it's clever. And you should all go watch it.
Who Am I is a film about Benjamin (Tom Schilling, Woman In Gold) a pizza delivery guy who also happens to be an expert in hacking. He meets enigmatic Max (Elyas M'Barek, The Wave) who lures him into joining his friends in hacking morally dubious organisations. Who Am I is a bit like The Usual Suspects (Bryan Singer, 1995) in that it focuses around an interrogation between Benjamin and the head of an investigation into cyber-crime, Hanne Lindberg (Trine Dyrholm, The Commune). Only Who Am I is better than The Usual Suspects, it's far more subtle, and a lot more thrilling.
Who Am I remains tense, exciting and engaging throughout it's runtime. The tension mainly comes from it's incredible script by Jantje Friese (The Silence) and Odar, but is aided by the pounding upbeat techno music by Boys Noize and the fast paced editing during the more action focused scenes. But it's the script where this film shines. It establishes interesting characters that build and develop over the course of the film, such as the shy Benjamin who becomes a confident wreck by the end of it. They not only develop effectively, but are riddled with flaws that help move the film into a more interesting direction. Their obsessive natures help build the tension as they are always looking for their next target and always wanting to be the best. This need to improve and be the best means that the ante is always being upped, more and more is at stake, and their lives are constantly in danger (this is so refreshing among a slew of superhero movies that constantly start with its ante so high, the world's going to end and we've got to save it malarkey).
And this is important as you really start to care about the characters. The actors have great chemistry together and they feel like a believable group of friends who do genuinely care for each other. And while this movie does pull a second act conflict between them it doesn't last long and it's more important to the story than it may first seem. But the care that has been put into writing the characters translates well into the audience really caring for them. Furthermore, Who Am I transforms into a fascinating, if not recognisable, mystery in its later stages which only help to restore any excitement lost when the film's story comes to a close. There are so many twists and turns that the film demands a second viewing. But the writers have been careful enough to leave just enough subtle clues around the film for the detectives in the audience to pick up on what's going on, or for those who've come back for a second viewing to go "ahhh, makes sense now".
Who Am I also does interesting things with its concept too. For example, director Baran bo Odar (The Silence) realises the dark web as a train where hooded and masked figures meet and act shady and malicious. This literal personification of the dark web not only helps simplify a few things for those less aware of it, but also creates a visually interesting and frankly cool location for the characters to interact in. Unfortunately, its other visuals are not as creative or interesting as the film's cinematography takes after the dark, always set at night, look that films of the time were adopting (the Zach Snyder look). However, they still ensure that the shots are well lit so that the action is always visible and the cityscape shots look incredible. It works well for this film in that it helps build its dark tone and atmosphere, but is also a good callback to its clear inspiration, something I won't spoil, but you'll know it when you see it.
Who Am I is a blast to watch. It does everything right; its well paced, enjoyable, visually stunning, well written and acted and best of all thrilling. This film is a good bridge between the blockbusters of today and foreign film. It's not unlike a lot of American thrillers, but it differs enough that it not only deserves to be seen, but it feels original and fresh. If you have the time and the patience to read subtitles then this film is more than worth the watch.
8/10
Who Am I is a film about Benjamin (Tom Schilling, Woman In Gold) a pizza delivery guy who also happens to be an expert in hacking. He meets enigmatic Max (Elyas M'Barek, The Wave) who lures him into joining his friends in hacking morally dubious organisations. Who Am I is a bit like The Usual Suspects (Bryan Singer, 1995) in that it focuses around an interrogation between Benjamin and the head of an investigation into cyber-crime, Hanne Lindberg (Trine Dyrholm, The Commune). Only Who Am I is better than The Usual Suspects, it's far more subtle, and a lot more thrilling.
Who Am I remains tense, exciting and engaging throughout it's runtime. The tension mainly comes from it's incredible script by Jantje Friese (The Silence) and Odar, but is aided by the pounding upbeat techno music by Boys Noize and the fast paced editing during the more action focused scenes. But it's the script where this film shines. It establishes interesting characters that build and develop over the course of the film, such as the shy Benjamin who becomes a confident wreck by the end of it. They not only develop effectively, but are riddled with flaws that help move the film into a more interesting direction. Their obsessive natures help build the tension as they are always looking for their next target and always wanting to be the best. This need to improve and be the best means that the ante is always being upped, more and more is at stake, and their lives are constantly in danger (this is so refreshing among a slew of superhero movies that constantly start with its ante so high, the world's going to end and we've got to save it malarkey).
And this is important as you really start to care about the characters. The actors have great chemistry together and they feel like a believable group of friends who do genuinely care for each other. And while this movie does pull a second act conflict between them it doesn't last long and it's more important to the story than it may first seem. But the care that has been put into writing the characters translates well into the audience really caring for them. Furthermore, Who Am I transforms into a fascinating, if not recognisable, mystery in its later stages which only help to restore any excitement lost when the film's story comes to a close. There are so many twists and turns that the film demands a second viewing. But the writers have been careful enough to leave just enough subtle clues around the film for the detectives in the audience to pick up on what's going on, or for those who've come back for a second viewing to go "ahhh, makes sense now".
Who Am I also does interesting things with its concept too. For example, director Baran bo Odar (The Silence) realises the dark web as a train where hooded and masked figures meet and act shady and malicious. This literal personification of the dark web not only helps simplify a few things for those less aware of it, but also creates a visually interesting and frankly cool location for the characters to interact in. Unfortunately, its other visuals are not as creative or interesting as the film's cinematography takes after the dark, always set at night, look that films of the time were adopting (the Zach Snyder look). However, they still ensure that the shots are well lit so that the action is always visible and the cityscape shots look incredible. It works well for this film in that it helps build its dark tone and atmosphere, but is also a good callback to its clear inspiration, something I won't spoil, but you'll know it when you see it.
Who Am I is a blast to watch. It does everything right; its well paced, enjoyable, visually stunning, well written and acted and best of all thrilling. This film is a good bridge between the blockbusters of today and foreign film. It's not unlike a lot of American thrillers, but it differs enough that it not only deserves to be seen, but it feels original and fresh. If you have the time and the patience to read subtitles then this film is more than worth the watch.
8/10
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