Featured Audience Ratings

• Randy T

  
  Based on actual events, Werner Herzog chronicles the rise and fall of Polish strongman Zishe Breitbart who entertained affluent Germans in pre-WWII Berlin. Herzog manages to capture the historical significance of the events but a meandering script and suspect performances left me… More
  Based on actual events, Werner Herzog chronicles the rise and fall of Polish strongman Zishe Breitbart who entertained affluent Germans in pre-WWII Berlin. Herzog manages to capture the historical significance of the events but a meandering script and suspect performances left me feeling a bit cheated and underwhelmed.

• Michael S

  
  "Invincible," which completely flew under everyone's radar WAY back in 2001, is a fascinating film... a colorfully painted tale of individual triumph in the face of adversity. Based on fact, the film is a very straightforward effort, but is not completely void of… More
  "Invincible," which completely flew under everyone's radar WAY back in 2001, is a fascinating film... a colorfully painted tale of individual triumph in the face of adversity. Based on fact, the film is a very straightforward effort, but is not completely void of Herzog's off-kilter style and sensibilities. It feels very dreamlike, and has a certain elegance and whimsy. Adding to this quality is a cast of relatively inexperienced actors (Tim Roth and a few others being the exceptions). The Hulking Jouko Ahola for example, the hero of the narrative, has a very limited acting range and ability but delivers a very likable, touching, and admirable performance in spite of himself. But no doubt it is Herzog who deserves credit most. Each scene is filled with the passion and love he obviously had for this material, and luckily his emotions bleed through. This is a powerful story told in a very unique and level-headed fashion. See this Gem. Another really interesting film from Herzog.

• Anthony L

  
  Not my favourite Herzog film by a long stretch but still very good. Its strangely entertaining watching such a brilliant actor (Roth) acting alongside bad actors (pretty much everyone else). That said, Jouko Ahola is very watchable and a typical Herzog character. I still much prefer… More
  Not my favourite Herzog film by a long stretch but still very good. Its strangely entertaining watching such a brilliant actor (Roth) acting alongside bad actors (pretty much everyone else). That said, Jouko Ahola is very watchable and a typical Herzog character. I still much prefer his earlier work though.

• Luke B

  
  Always hard to know how to feel about a Herzog film. The man is certainly anything but normal and this often comes across in his films. This true story however is one of his straightest narratives and works brilliantly. Every scene is one of interest fascination. The story itself is… More
  Always hard to know how to feel about a Herzog film. The man is certainly anything but normal and this often comes across in his films. This true story however is one of his straightest narratives and works brilliantly. Every scene is one of interest fascination. The story itself is the true story of a Jewish blacksmith who goes to Berlin to seek his fam and fortune only to become involved in a weird stage show that caters to the Nazi's. The main star is actually a bodybuilder and some have criticised his performance but to me he was certainly stilted but so was the character. Obviously quite simple and often naive. It could also be that his performance was held back to further highlight Roth's excellent charismatic turn, and perhaps the attractive lure of the Nazi's in general. It's a fascinating story and one that has an excellent twist that causes you to re-evaluate certain aspects of the film. It's deep, tragic but most of all entertaining, which as we discover can be just as strong as any army.

• Marcus W

  
  This is typical Herzog: he makes a touching film about Jews in Germany and the rise of the Nazi party, without overloading the film with pity or melodrama. And he still manages to get in his lingering "nature shots".

• Eduardo C

  
  Anyone who thinks they have a handle on Werner Herzog, who hs ever labeled him as a cynic or a satirist should see this film and shut the fuck up. It takes genuine courage to, in this day and age, make a film that is as pure hearted, as simple, as genuinely innocent as this. There… More
  Anyone who thinks they have a handle on Werner Herzog, who hs ever labeled him as a cynic or a satirist should see this film and shut the fuck up. It takes genuine courage to, in this day and age, make a film that is as pure hearted, as simple, as genuinely innocent as this. There is a cynical character in the piece, but one whose cynicism slowly begins to shed. The film is "inspired by genuine events", a phrase that always raises a red flag in my head. Whatever the events were, the film succeeds by treating the story 100% seriously. There are no winks to the audience, no in-jokes, no mockery, there is only what is happening. Zishe is as pure, innocent and childlike a character as can be conceived, as is his world view, as is his desire to do good. The allegorical elements are never intrusive, and the film is not in service of them. The images are beautiful (one in particular, a shot of hundreds of crabs walking into the sand and over the rocks on a beach is a standout) and vintage Herzog.

• Ashton R

  
  Blah, this movie was atrocious; the acting was horrible, (even Roth's left something to be desired), the story was ridiculous (even if it was based on a real story), and it was just overall one of the most boring films I have ever seen. For one, it gives the impression that… More
  Blah, this movie was atrocious; the acting was horrible, (even Roth's left something to be desired), the story was ridiculous (even if it was based on a real story), and it was just overall one of the most boring films I have ever seen. For one, it gives the impression that Roth's character is the main focus; wrong! It's some other buff dude I've never heard of who wouldn't know how to act if it bit him in the ass. And the cinematographcy was horrible as well; it seemd really amateur and had too many flaws to mention. I couldn't wait for this movie to end while watching it, and I'm definitely not seeing it again anytime soon. EVER.

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