Horst_In_Translation Review of Axolotl Overkill

Axolotl Overkill (2017)

It's more about individual scenes than the entire product

[6/10 · 23 December 2017]

"Axolotl Overkill" is a German 90-minute movie from 2017, so a relatively recent release that is the first full feature film effort by young writer and director Helene Hegemann. Actually, she is younger than her lead actress here, Jasna Fritzi Bauer, who plays a 16-year-old again and thus a girl who is almost half her age. Her young looks certainly pay off for her. There is also a bit of Chloe Moretz to her physically I'd say. Anyway, she sure found her niche and we will see how things gonna be going when she hits a certain age that will make it impossible to play these very young, usually emotionally troubled characters that struggle with their parents too. So it is a bit of a coming-of-age story, but then again it is the exact opposite as it is more of a depiction of the current circumstances than really about the main character changing too much. The axolotl reference feels a bit forced and for the sake of it, but it is also not too bad as the way in which the animal was described in that one scene makes an interesting reference to Bauer's character. The second most known cast member is probably Laura Tonke who enjoyed great awards success recently. But this is not her film, it is all about Bauer's character and I may be a bit biased as I like her, but still I believe from a neutral perspective this is a fairly brave movie, not scared of certain aspects or depictions that may feel offensive to some. I tell them to man up. If there is anything like a new wave of wild German cinema these days, then this movie deserves to be included under that characterization. It may not be too smooth as a whole, but there are many scenes in here that stay somewhat memorable. A strong characterization and taking Hegemann's lack of experience into account, this was definitely a positive surprise. Certainly among the better German films I have seen from 2017. It is bold and daring and the faults it has are more than justified by the risks it is taking. Go see it when it opens near you. I give it a thumbs-up.