Anatomy (Anatomie) (2000)

55% of critics liked it
(11 reviews)
48% of users liked it
(5,835 ratings)

A determined medical student uncovers shady goings on during a prestigious summer anatomy course in this German thriller. When Paula Henning (Run Lola Run's Franka Potente) learns that she's been accepted to a highly competitive internship at a Heidelberg research institution, she's ecstatic. The… More A determined medical student uncovers shady goings on during a prestigious summer anatomy course in this German thriller. When Paula Henning (Run Lola Run's Franka Potente) learns that she's been accepted to a highly competitive internship at a Heidelberg research institution, she's ecstatic. The daughter of a simple family doctor, she prefers to model herself after her terminally ill grandfather, who was once dean of the same Heidelberg university. Stern lecturer Prof. Grombek (Traugott Buhre) promises that half the students won't be around when the course ends; his prediction turns out to be true, but it's not because of the brutal exams. It seems that a group of renegade doctors is performing dissections on unwilling, still-living victims, which helps explain the artful laboratory in which plasticized human remains are lovingly displayed. Paula stumbles onto this plot when a recent acquaintance turns up on her dissection table, his blood the consistency of rubber. Studious to the extreme, Paula investigates his death with scientific determination -- despite the flirtations of handsome fellow student Caspar (Sebastian Blomberg) and the feel-good urgings of Gretchen (Anna Loos), her sexually promiscuous but utterly brilliant roommate. Just as Paula is preparing to expose the existence of the Anti-Hippocratic Society, a Nazi-affiliated group of medical malcontents, Gretchen falls prey to their extreme methods. Soon Paula, too, is in danger of becoming just another addition to the display case. Extremely popular in its native country, Anatomie was dubbed into English for American release under the title Anatomy. A sequel was in production as of 2002. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi

Play Trailer

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 40 min.
Directed By: Stefan Ruzowitzky
Genres: Horror, Art House & International, Mystery & Suspense

In Theaters: Jan 1, 2000 Wide
On DVD: Apr 3, 2001
Studio: Columbia TriStar Film Distribu

Critic Reviews

Alan Simpson, Sex Gore Mutants
Stylish shot and high on atmosphere
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
[Anatomy's] premise is so strong and so creepy, that it keeps the film afloat even during its conventional slasher movie conclusion.
Jaime N. Christley, Apollo Guide
Sure, it's a bad film - an insipid, pointless, and occasionally ham-fisted schlockfest. But on that level, it works quite well.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Randy T

Formulaic horror film obviously aimed at teenage audiences. Sophomoric and senseless.
Cynthia S

Not even good enough to hate. Gross, violent and yet lame, all at the same time. I watched it to see Franka Potente, because she is so good in other films....but even she couldn't make this movie better. The anatomy models were the most interesting thing in the film.
_kelly .

Horror Not to Miss List Commentary: This German film centers around the fictional alliance of medical professionals who believe in a credo antithetical to the Hippocratic Oath, that is their goal is to advance science without regard for the patient instead of vowing to preserve the… More
Horror Not to Miss List Commentary: This German film centers around the fictional alliance of medical professionals who believe in a credo antithetical to the Hippocratic Oath, that is their goal is to advance science without regard for the patient instead of vowing to preserve the patient's life above all other duties. This features some of the better effects I've seen in a long time, as the med students of the anti-Hippocratic order use their classmates to make groundbreaking educational installations of human anatomy. Set within the med school, the central heroine gets keen to this practice, and must unravel what is going on before she ends up as the next feature in her professors' exhibit. The plot doesn't get more interesting beyond that, but the gore is amazing and the anatomic installations are beautiful.
Dean M

Great, gruesome fun with lots of spine-tingling suspense in this German chilling thriller.
Daniel P

Review soon. A good concept forced into a generic slasher film.
Rose G

Franka Potente plays a medical student who uncovers a secret society behind some gruesome murders in Heidelberg Med. I like the work they did on the corpses, they were very realistic. The acting looked pretty ok, the dubbing just ruined it.
Ina S

Judging from various reviews, the English dubbing must be pretty bad, huh? I felt thoroughly entertained, but it is a pretty generic horror flick. I tend to like those, so 3 stars for providing ample entertainment.
Leo L

Amazing!
Angela A

Watch the German version.

Read all 9 featured audience ratings

Cast

            Franka Potente as Paula Henning

            Benno Fürmann as Hein

            Anna Loos as Gretchen

            Sebastian Blomberg as Caspar

            Holger Speckhahn as Phil

            Traugott Buhre as Prof. Grombek

            Rüdiger Vogler as Dr. Henning

            Oliver Wnuk as Ludwig

            Arndt Schwering-Sohnrey as David

            Andreas Günther as Franz

            Antonia Cacilia Holfelder as Gabi

            Werner Dissel as Paulas Grobvater

            Gennadiy Vengerov as Praparator

            Thomas Meinhardt as Professor in Munchen

            Simon Schwarz as Junger Mann

            Alexander Liegl as Helfer

            Martin Polcher as Helfer

            Christoph Hagen Dittmann as Bernie

            Berrin Alganer-Lenz as Putzfrau

            Angelika Sedlmeier as Frau Freisinger

            Ulrich Matschoss as Femerichter

            Gerald Alexander Held as Polizist

            Karl Fridrich as Kriminalbeamter

            Susanne Grabe as Kellnerin Heidelberg

            Johannes Nikolussi as Junkie

            Anna Brüggemann as Junkie-Madchen

            Axel Weusten as Alexander

            Gabriel Bassale as Kursteilnehmer

            Ralf Dietl as Kursteilnehmer

            Oliver Engl as Kursteilnehmer

            Uche Ishionwu as Kursteilnehmer

            Michael Jank as Kursteilnehmer

            Thomas Neumann as Kursteilnehmer

            Armin Schlicht as Kursteilnehmer

            Christoph Schmeiduch as Kursteilnehmer

            Patrick Schmidt as Kursteilnehmer

            Nico Schutz as Kursteilnehmer

            Thijs van der Zee as Kursteilnehmer

            Michael Wolfl as Kursteilnehmer

            Herbert Knaup
            
            Heike Makatsch
            
            August Diehl
            
See full cast

Anatomy (Anatomie) (2000)

Critic Reviews

Featured Audience Ratings

Cast

Trailers & Clips