The Baader-Meinhof Complex is a true story about the early stages of the Red Army Faction (RAF) in West Germany of the 1970's would never make an easy film. At the beginning, these terrorists were called the Bader-Meinhof group after two of the founders. The film actually starts in 1967 with the visit of the Shah of Persia and the demonstrations that end in bloodshed. This tries to explain how the group was formed. What follows are a series of bank robberies (to gain funds), arson attacks, bombings and kidnapping. How the perpetrators were caught one by one is very well filmed. Their time in prison and the aftermath of their trials plays out against a group of new members. This movie needs a fair degree of concentration, but I found the story gripping, especially as a comparison with modern day terrorism. An excellent piece of film making.
Quarantine is quite good fun. Like Blair Witch and Cloverfield, it uses a single hand held camera as it follows Jennifer Carpenter (Dexter's sister) in making a TV programme about an evening with the LA fire department. At first, you can only guess at why they have been locked in the apartment building they have been called to. Gradually the tension mounts as the residents begin to change and the horror begins. Very clever.
What is there to say about Max Payne? Slammed by most of the critics, there is very little artistic merit. But the sets and location photography do have style. And it was basically a police thriller with a bit of a story. I sometimes don't mind when you can guess the plot early on, and just watch the hero find out for himself. Not too many gun battles always helps, so not a total disaster.
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