Revanche - Movie Review

I watched Revanche on the recommendation of a friend. I was less than impressed than he was with the film, but found it to be a worthwhile diversion nonetheless. The film takes place in and around Vienna with intersecting stories between a police officer and a criminal. The level of interaction is a bit unbelievable, but is done within the context of an interesting story. I believe that some of the improbable interactions may have been a way to inject additional symbolism into the storyline.

The Police Officer is Robert (Andres Lust). He works in Vienna but lives out in the rural outskirts with his wife Susanne (Usula Strauss). They have an aging neighbor Hausner (Johannes Thanheiser) who really should not be driving, but does anyway. Susanne takes an interest in Hausner and drives him to church on Sundays. Robert runs into the criminal, Alex (Johannes Krisch) as he is attempting to get away after robbing a bank. Because he is wearing a mask, Robert does not recognize him at later meetings.

Alex is robbing the bank because he is trying to get out of the country with his Russian girlfriend Tamara (Irina Potapenko). They both work for a Russian mobster named Konecny (Hanno Poschl). Tamara works in Konecny’s brothel while Alex runs errands for him. Tamara is deeply in debt and unlikely will ever work it off. Alex makes the fatal mistake of allowing Tamara to accompany him during his heist. Tamara is sitting in his car in a “no standing” zone while Alex is committing the robbery. Robert is questioning Tamara when Alex comes running down the alley with his loot. Alex gets the drop on Robert and manages to get into his car to make a getaway. While attempting to shoot Alex’s tires, Robert accidentally hits Tamara. Or was it an accident?

Alex drives out to the country to visit his grandfather…who just happens to be Hausner. While shopping with Hausner, the pair run into Susanne at the store where she works. Alex overhears Susanne talking to someone about her husband shooting Tamara. Alex figures out the connection and begins to struggle with vengeance. The incredible streak of coincidence never really pans out substantially, but leaves as much in a state of flux as it was before these paths crossed. I guess, in a sense, the two men directly affected each other on several levels that are explored in the movie, but the situation ends without any dramatic climax.

The writing in Revanche wasn’t bad, but the incredible amount of coincidence and sluggish pacing took a great deal away from the film. It was actually an interesting story with engaging characters and a tangled web of coincidence. It was way beyond belief in some ways, but enjoyable enough to get past those blemishes. The dialogue (other than some translation issues) was strong and fresh. I thought that some of the character interactions were a bit unlikely. The film covers a lot of ground and delves into a myriad of personal issues in triangulating the action that intertwines the characters. It is almost as if they are invisibly bound to each other with many strings. I guess I liked that aspect even though it hurt the films credibility a little. Gotz Spielmann did a decent job with the script while also wearing the “Director’s hat.”

Revanche is an Austrian production filmed in Russian and German with English sub-titles. The German translation was pretty accurate, but the Russian translations must have been done by a New York cab driver moonlighting as a translator. The translations were written literally the way you would hear a Russian-speaking person speak English. Most of the Russian language portion of the film is contained in the first half hour or so. The sub-titles were a bit tedious until the film settled into predominantly German language.

Krisch’s character, Alex, is the common thread in this story. All other elements extend out from his position in the center. As the central figure, affected in many different ways by the relationships he finds himself in, Krisch must adapt to a variety of roles. There is a keen balance in his performance that was probably best demonstrated in his interactions with Robert, the Police Officer. It is the most subtle of his interactions, the most casual, but also the most poignant. Krisch carried the part well and made it worthwhile. Although Robert has a limited role, the struggles and interaction with Alex also required some credibility, which Lust brought to the role. Strauss, Thanheiser and Potapenko were all strong in supporting roles. They brought vitality to their characters.

The version of Revanche that I watched was unrated. If it had been rated, an R rating would certainly have been assigned. Most of the objectionable material is placed in the first half of the film, which takes place in a brothel. Alex and Tamara engage in some steamy shower sex that shows full frontal nudity and oral sex visible through a plastic shower curtain. Tamara seemed to be nude or semi-nude for most of her time on screen. There is a murder, some rough sex without nudity and violence against women also depicted in the film. Strong language is about the only other issue, but was contextual. I would be uncomfortable watching this film with younger viewers...maybe even into the early teens. This one is probably better for a more mature audience. Run time is two hours, one minute.

I had mixed feelings about Revanche. I like strong characters and good dialogue. But there were some nagging issues in this film. The weak Russian translations were the least of them. More problematic for me was the incredible use of coincidence to bring the story together. It really required a stretch. Although I liked the connectivity, it really did seem impossible. The other issue is the slow pacing. The film broods a lot, making it drag. I would still recommend this film, especially if you enjoy characters over plot. But don't go out of your way to see this one. 6.5/10.

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