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The Experiment (2002)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:63
Fresh:45
Rotten:18
Average Rating:6.6/10
Runtime: 2 hrs
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: Based on the 1971 Stanford University simulation study of the psychology of imprisonment (otherwise know as the Stanford Prison Experiment), DAS EXPERIMENT is an intense psychodrama about a group... Based on the 1971 Stanford University simulation study of the psychology of imprisonment (otherwise know as the Stanford Prison Experiment), DAS EXPERIMENT is an intense psychodrama about a group of ordinary men who volunteer to take place in a paid two-week study on the mental effects of prison life. Following a series of intellectual and physical examinations, the men are separated into two groups--eight guards and twelve prisoners--and locked into a working prison, fully loaded with cameras to capture their every move. One of the prisoners, an undercover reporter named Tarek (Moritz Leibtrau of RUN LOLA RUN), uses every opportunity to provoke the guards and collect quotes for his story, but he consistently pushes the envelope too far. As egos are bruised and machismo is belittled, the guards resort to sadistic torture techniques while the prisoners formulate an escape scheme that is laden with vengeance. The experiment inevitably goes awry (even the moderators have utterly lost control) leading to a powerful climatic battle between good and evil. Director Oliver Hirschbiegel keeps the film moving at a fast clip, effortlessly switching from the film to the prison cameras and even to a pair of 007-esque spy glasses worn by Tarek to reveal different angles of observation and offer the viewer a voyeuristic experience. DAS EXPERIMENT is an extreme thriller steeped in ultra-violence, murder, and suspense. [More]
Starring: Moritz Bleibtreu, Christian Berkel, Oliver Stokowski, Woton Wilke Mohring
Starring: Moritz Bleibtreu, Christian Berkel, Oliver Stokowski, Woton Wilke Mohring, Stephan Szasz, Polat Dal, Danny Richter
Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel
Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel
Screenwriter: Christoph Darnstadt, Don Bohlinger
Studio: IDP Distribution
Reviews for The Experiment
It's Uli Hanisch's prison design that emerges as the film's real star, its antiseptic confines subtly heightening the prevailing mood of desperation and malevolence.
Go in expecting whatever you want, chances are you're going to get something that much better.
The Experiment est un bon film, mais je comprends mal qu’il ait pu gagner des prix.
Certamente provocaria mais impacto caso o roteiro tivesse abandonado subtramas dispensáveis como a "namorada que perdeu o pai” e se concentrado mais na fascinante experiência.
When a picture about the roots of evil takes the easy way out, the price is potentially more grave than just the failure of a film: it starts to smell a little like exploitation, after all.
“The Experiment” keeps your adrenaline pumping nearly from beginning to end.
Latest News for The Experiment
September 19, 2008:
Further Reading: Making Waves as Die Welle Arrives
Kim compares and contrasts two versions of the same story as a German version of the story prepares for UK cinemas. More...
August 02, 2005:
Kidman Earns a Hefty Payday for WB's "Invasion"
Nicole Kidman will earn about $16 million to star in WB's new science fiction thriller "Invasion," says Variety. Originally planned as (yet) another remake of Jack... More...
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