Great Film overall

Captivating movie !

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Blistering performances.

"Napola" or "Before the Fall" is a 110-minute German movie from over 10 years ago. Writer and director is Dennis Gansel (around 30 at this point), pretty famous for "The Wave" and this one here is his breakthrough film (unless you already count the abysmal "Mädchen Mädchen!". Gansel has worked a lot with Riemelt in his career, so it's no surprise that he also plays the main character in here. Still, I am not sold on Riemelt after having seen many of his movies. I believe with another lead actor this may have been a really strong movie and contender for best German film of 2004. Tom Schilling, who's a pretty big star today, easily gives the more convincing performance as the soft-spoken son of a well-respected Nazi official, who realizes how wrong his father's deeds are.The best scenes were probably the ones with the sports teacher. They were really baity written, but also gave a crass insight into the methods of operation at the training camp. The popular Nazi message of natural selection, even at the most cruel circumstances, is even more present in here than usual. We follow a young man who has a talent for boxing and may dream of the Olympic Games when he gets recruited for this training camp. The first scene at the camp was already very telling. He tells the officer right away that he left without his dad's permission, but even fakes his dad's signature. The Nazi officer acts negatively and surprised, but in the end he does not hesitate to accept the boy's presence instead of sending him home. A crime here and there is okay if it serves the Fuehrer and Vaterland. And the irony in how he tells him about honesty and obedience, while he himself is dishonest that very moment is priceless. I believe the film's biggest strength is the script. Moments of greatness are rare, but Gansel managed to come up with a screenplay that almost never drags and that is a decent achievement for a film that runs for almost 2 hours. I enjoyed the watch and everybody who likes Nazi-themed films should check it out. And if you already have, take a look at "Berlin' 36", which is sort-of the female-centered version of "Napola". Thumbs up and I recommend it.

This movie though with subs for me was perhaps the best movie I ever seen on WWII from an another viewing angle, not like that of Saving pvt Ryan or any of such from the Allied's angle. Rather here in this movie the inner story of how innocent young generations of Germany were transformed or rather brain washed into cruel Nazis with the hypocrisy of countries love & etc is shown here. Both the characters of Fendriech n Stein is portrayed superb with their own youngish sentiments & innocence. So its a must watch for all you people interested in WWII happenings. I rate this 9/10.

this movie tells the story of German youth. in the year 1942 the Nazis are at the peak of their power. but it is not just war, the Nazis are up to lots of different things. like creating an elite of arian top trained men, brainwashed in to believing whatever they are being told. i was intrigued by this movie, because i cant imagine the terror and strict upbringing of these young men. but they where the elite, and in the elite there is no time for sympathy or mercy. "if you die you are weak". the few men that does not buy in to the propaganda that is being fed to them are considered outcasts. those that actually understand that the Nazis are the evil side. this is a very interesting subject of history that i haven't seen a lot of, therefore the film is.. in my opinion original and entertaining.

I am not going to outline the plot.This film is very good, very similar to the Swedish "Ondskan" about young boys fighting again, against a system of institutionalised violence. The fear of punishment for disobedience that perpetuates this system is also absorbed into the movie and projected upon the watcher. The two main characters, two boys that share sentiments through some deep underlying humanity, start to question the morality of the Napola, and find themselves both outsiders with the only real solidarity and t trust within each other. The elders and teachers of the school are aloof, manipulative and perverse, but here in this film the Nazis are all portrayed as flawed humans, and not as alien beasts. There is a strong sensation of homo-eroticism pervading in the relationship between the two main characters, which reflects some tendencies in a strict, spartan boy school with a rigorous training scheme that is designed to root out the physically weak and the mentally strong. I thought the movie is a great comment on the right to speak up against tyranny, even if it does not bring much originality to the table. A spectacularly beautiful film, set in the idyllic countryside, to contrast the man-made brutality of a corrupt and perverse system.