People are voting emotionally.

Good , But It Is Overrated By Some

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

I have never seen a movie with such an overuse of voice-off. At least 10 times (and I am not exaggerating) there is some guy mumbling about "Krabat doing this, Krabat doing that..." Sometimes stuff that could have been easily displayed in some scenery, for example "Krabat is hardworking, others are lazy...this guy right here, he is very strict" Fine shut up already and just show it. A Narrating voice from the off should be used sparely and mostly to give interesting information or meaningful insight. As a part of narration, a stylistic element, not as a substitute of narration, which I call lazy and bad filmmaking.Speaking about that, the fighting scenes were filmed and cut so poorly that it was a pain to watch. I thought they are disappointing at best, especially for a film that wants to be epic. It takes more than a shaky cam to create a good fighting scenery. And thats the next thing: the film tries hard to be epic, but fails hard in achieving it. The story is not that bad, nor are the actors, but I think Krabat would have been much better if produced as a TV series. The source material would have been perfect. Some young men who are ordinary apprentice lads are getting trained to become powerful wizards. This training should be interesting, you may think, but yawn all we see are some guys with wooden staffs. There is no exciting arc for the characters, Krabat and the others don't seem to change very much, even since they are wizards. And what is there motive? Why is Krabat even there? Because he followed a raven? I know he shook the hand of the sorcerer and now he is bound to him, but why does the sorcerer train all this young lads? For what purpose? What is his plan... is it for fun or does he want to achieve something? So many questions, so less answers. At some point I didn't care anymore, I am sure there is an answer somewhere, but it is not illustrated very well in this film. Overall a waste of good actors and a potentially great TV series. 3/10

When you hear the word "Krabat", you will probably wonder first of all what is that. If you think, it has to do with the Moroccan city, you are completely wrong. If you think it includes the German word for raven, you are much closer, but most of all the film is simply named after the film's main character played by David Kross. This movie has some of the most known younger German actors in its cast. Apart from Kross, who you may have seen in "The Reader", there is also Daniel Brühl, Robert Stadlober, Anna Thalbach, Hanno Kofler and my personal favorite Charly Hübner. I'm usually not too big on Kross, Stadlober and Brühl, but at least the latter impressed me occasionally here. I would say that this is mostly a kids movie, although a fairly dark one, but adult audiences can also have a good time watching.The main antagonist is played by Christian Redl, who is also the only older actor in the cast. He plays an evil sorcerer, but as he seemed to be a bit of a father figure to the boys for quite a while, it was initially unclear how evil he really is and I even considered for a moment that Stadlober's character my be the main villain because of Krabat's dislike for him. The movie is written and directed by Marco Kreuzpaintner. It is an adaptation from the late Otfried Preußler's (one of Germany's most famous children's book authors) novel. Kreuzpaintner already worked with a few cast members like Kofler, Stadlober or Paula Kalenberg, the female main character and love interest to Krabat. For the director it is the return back to Germany from Hollywood after making a film with Kevin Kline one year earlier. He is still fairly young, was 30 when he made this film, so we may get many more films from him and I hope they won't be worse than "Krabat".The film won a handful awards and also scored nominations at the German Film awards in the smaller categories. There really wasn't much wrong with this movie. The thing that maybe bothered me the most was the choice of the song "Allein, allein" for the soundtrack. It was a huge hit here in Germany, but I felt that it did not suit the film or the topic at all. Apart from that, it's not a good song at all in my opinion. Really bad choice. They simply should have gone for some gloomy tune without lyrics in my opinion. But back to the more positive factors: I liked how, with the introduction of Krabat's childhood friend, Krabat turned into Brühl's character and the young boy was pretty much Krabat when he freshly joined the group. The fact that the boys are the ravens was clear from the very beginning and it is a good idea although I wish it could have surprised me or they would have added more to that subplot except the ending scene with the girl choosing the correct raven. The 20th Century Fox intro with the ravens was pretty nice as well. However, I wondered what the whole leaving your body plot was about. Brühl's character and Krabat were doing it when Krabat meets his girl the first time. And what was behind the whole thing that they should not have a girlfriend? I guess it was the sorcerer's fear that he could not fight love and that he may lose all his boys just like he did at the end of the film. But one or two more scenes could have helped in my opinion. They could have cut some of the less significant scenes for that. The film runs for pretty much exactly 2 hours and they could have done without 5-10 minutes, because it is already very long, especially for children. Most German kids movies these days do not cross the 100-minute mark.Anyway, as a whole I liked this movie and finally I would also like to mention explicitly the good work with the aging makeup for Redl's and Brühl's characters. The film has some nice fairytale and fantasy elements which made sure it did not drag at all or only once or twice which is very acceptable given the runtime. Very atmospheric too. Recommended.

As some other previous writer I do not intend to spoil contents but nevertheless it may happen. Therefore I checked the spoiler alert. 1) I slowly but surely learn not to expect a movie being exactly like the book. So I was able to enjoy "Lord of the Rings" which I have read once every year in full for several years There are movies like "The Stand". The novel written by Steven King. I never felt more content in a movie with in-depth knowledge of the bookNow Krabat: They changed the time back to the 30 year war (No sweat) They left out scenes like the sorcerer fight "Meister" vs "Pumphutt" (to bad) They changed a real funny scene when the soldiers come to press the boys into the Prussian army to a real bad Ridley Scottisch (I have stolen this comparison) fight with too fast and bad made fighting scenes. (Very bad) They left out a visit of Krabat and the "Meister" in Dresden, which should show Krabat what power being a sorcerer would give him (unlucky) They missed the new mill wheel, which is not a big deal. There are some other thing they changed, but not to the bad.2) I expected no good, but I was driven by knowing the book and I wanted to see how they would interpret it. The movie feels like the book. Starting somewhat easy it gains a lot of tension up to the end. Although I knew what would have to happen I was gripped by it. 3) They got me with the music which was really good and fitted with a great scenery. What a landscape, what pictures. Just for that I'd go again.4) I'm no good at rating the acting but Christian Redl did an outstanding job. The Meister was just a bit too fatherly. I felt as if the boys where just fallen out of the book. The Kantorka was somewhat too maiden, not cool enough and too bodily. Tonda should have been more chiseled. (They missed him having total white hair within one day.) All in all the acting was quite persuasive.5) Music again. I was deep into the movie and still sat with a racing heart when "Allein, Allein" came up. It's like getting a load of ice cold water on a your fevered body. I never ever have been so disgusted.Conclusion: Well, a movie is a movie and as much people see it as much opinions are available.I do not expect a movie being the book. This one is well done, better than most German movies (Besides for instance you like "Das Boot". This is one VERY good movie sequel) Krabat takes you away if you allow it to. It delivers real nice landscape pictures and mostly good to very good acting and persuasive characters.If you like it philosophical, just look for other comments. There's a lot of deep thinking in this novel of Preussler and I have seldom found movies which really transport the in-depth meaning of their basic story (besides for instance "Schindlers Liste")I say: go and relish it, regardless whether you know the book. (Close your eyes through a certain fight though and your ears during the credits if you don't leave the move when credits start, like most people nowadays do)rgds

Went to see the movie yesterday.I have been a fan of the krabat-book since i was young and the film ,made by Zeman, made me some kind of fanatic and it seems i am not the only one.I read a lot of critics about this films. Other people like me, being disappointed what they made of the book, but as a real fan you have to see it all, even if it breaks your heart. In fact i cannot share most of the bad reviews about it. It is not a literature film, but i does not intend to be it. When you keep that in mind it was entertaining, more like the "Hollywood"-Version of the book.OK! The behavior in the film of the boys is not affected by fear, as described in the book and they are more like individuals, than a band of lost souls. The acting could have been better of some actors, but Daniel Brühl and some others kept the level very high to the point of his characters death. For the rest the story was very close to the book, so it held itself. I think it is important to show their despair and they did with the suicide scene, which is also in the book. The only thing i really did not like was the fighting scene in the middle of the movie, which is not in the book. I could hardly watch it. Very fast and the picture seemed to be broken. It was very eye- and mind hurting for me. Some funny, important scenes from the book are left out, which might have done the movie good. Why they use Magic is not explained in the movie and the master is more like a father figure, then the all evil in the book. If they did, then movie would have been a mess. The book tells, that they learn Magic to trick other people, to rob them, to betray them, to gain power over them, which is very tempting. It is more like an allegory for the youth in the third Reich. The movie is more like the youth in the 30-years war and their search for a home, a base, at all costs.But they kept the main aspect. Power can lead you on the wrong way and everything has its price. This is important.