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The Wave

Play trailer Poster for The Wave Released May 27, 2011 1h 46m Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 1 Reviews 95% Popcornmeter 50+ Ratings
Rainer, a teacher, is given the task of instructing his high school students about the autocratic state during a week-long session dedicated to longer-term lessons. A favorite among the kids, Rainer decides to let his students run with the subject matter and he asks them to construct their own autocracy. However, when the kids start forming a nation state eerily similar to Nazi Germany, Rainer and the other teachers become unnerved and uncertain what to do.

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The Wave

Critics Reviews

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David Nusair Reel Film Reviews There’s little doubt that The Wave fares best in its opening half hour... Rated: 3/4 Jun 11, 2024 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Petros T This based-on-true-events exploration of fascism might not avoid certain pitfalls (e.g. the array of archetypal characters or the cinematic climax that strays from the real story) but is engaging and suitably unsettling throughout as it hammers home its point culminating in a finale that could've gone any one of several ways. The brief conclusion of the experiment seems an odd choice on Wenger's part though: after all that happened, you'd expect him to devote some time to monitor the aftermath. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 08/12/24 Full Review Swith O final me surpreendeu. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/19/23 Full Review AniceSnek SUPER GOOD, LOVED IT IT SHOWED IT PERFECELTY Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/21/23 Full Review Enzo L Le film est bien et la fin est horrible contrairement au film. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 06/23/23 Full Review Pickatcu 1 I don't think I ever so such mediocre film with such a beautiful character development... Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/22/23 Full Review Wolfgang G Die Welle ist ein deutsches Filmdrama von Dennis Gansel, frei erzählt nach dem Roman Die Welle von Todd Strasser (Morton Rhue)… Das Experiment eines Gymnasiallehrers, mit dem er seinen Schülern demonstrieren möchte, wie es ist, unter einer Diktatur zu leben, gerät außer Kontrolle… Eine gut inszenierte Geschichte, die flott und spannend erzählt wird, von einem Sozialexperiment zu einer Autokratie… Die schauspielerische Leistung ist authentisch in ihren dargestellten Charakteren. Ein sehenswerter Film, der zum Nachdenken anregt. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 04/17/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Wave

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The Wave

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Movie Info

Synopsis Rainer, a teacher, is given the task of instructing his high school students about the autocratic state during a week-long session dedicated to longer-term lessons. A favorite among the kids, Rainer decides to let his students run with the subject matter and he asks them to construct their own autocracy. However, when the kids start forming a nation state eerily similar to Nazi Germany, Rainer and the other teachers become unnerved and uncertain what to do.
Director
Dennis Gansel
Screenwriter
Peter Thorwarth
Distributor
IFC Films
Production Co
Rat Pack Filmproduktion
Genre
Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
German
Release Date (Theaters)
May 27, 2011, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 10, 2017
Runtime
1h 46m
Sound Mix
Dolby Digital
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