Hell (2011 film)

Hell is a 2011 German-Swiss post-apocalyptic film directed by Tim Fehlbaum in his directorial debut.[1][2] The German-language screenplay was written by Fehlbaum, Oliver Kahl and Thomas Woebke. The experienced director Roland Emmerich, known for films such as Independence Day and 2012, acted as executive producer, with Gabriele Walther and Wöbke acting as producers.

Hell
Film poster
Directed byTim Fehlbaum
Produced byRoland Emmerich
Gabriele Walther
Thomas Wöbke
Written byTim Fehlbaum
Oliver Kahl
Thomas Woebke
StarringHannah Herzsprung
Music byLorenz Dangel
CinematographyMarkus Förderer
Tim Fehlbaum
Edited byAndreas Menn
Production
company
Caligari Film und Fernsehproduktions GmbH
Vega Film AG
SevenPictures Film
Distributed byParamount Pictures (Germany)
Release date
  • 22 September 2011 (2011-09-22)
Running time
89 minutes
CountryGermany
Switzerland
LanguageGerman

The film is about a young woman named Marie (Hannah Herzsprung), her boyfriend Phillip (Lars Eidinger) and her younger sister Leonie (Lisa Vicari) who are driving through the blighted wasteland of Germany after a climate crisis has destroyed society. Parched by thirst, the trio scavenge for water, gas and supplies. The trio are joined by a male survivor, Tom (Stipe Erceg), who they encounter in the ruins. Later, after the group is ambushed by carjackers who abduct Leonie and take the vehicle, all of the group end up being captured by a farming family who hold survivors in the farm's former slaughterhouse to use them as a source of food.

Plot

The film tells the story of a small group of survivors in post-apocalyptic Germany in the year 2016. Solar flares have destroyed the earth's atmosphere and global temperatures have risen by 10 °C. The sun is so hot that travel outside during daylight hours is dangerous. Crops have failed, little water or food is available and there is a breakdown of social order. The film tells the story of a young woman named Marie, her younger sister Leonie and Phillip, a young man who is also romantically connected with Marie. The trio are travelling through the dry wasteland in a Volvo station wagon with metal mesh on the windows. To avoid the sun's harsh rays, newspaper and cardboard have been taped over the inside of the windows, except for a narrow strip for the driver to see. They are heading for the mountains, where rumor has it that water can still be found. They scavenge wrecked cars and gas stations for extra gas, water (from heating pipes and toilets) and food, always alert for hostile survivors who might attack them.

When the trio find a ruined gas station, Phillip tries to obtain gasoline from the station's underground tanks and from abandoned vehicles while the women scavenge for supplies in the buildings. While the trio are working away, a hooded man steals food and water from their car and then holds Leonie as a hostage. After Phillip and the attacker fight and the aggressor is subdued, they agree to a truce of sorts. The attacker, whose name is Tom, tells them he is a mechanic. Phillip agrees to bring Tom along as a passenger in the car, on their search for water, if Tom will repair the heat-damaged engine. The quartet drive along through the roads towards the mountains until they stop due to a huge metal structure that is blocking the roadway. The group work together to move the blockage and then three of the group climb down a hill to look at a wrecked car for items to scavenge, leaving Leonie in the car alone.

Suddenly, the group hear Leonie's screams, and they realize the blocked road was a trap. Leonie is abducted by carjackers. Although the others try to help her, it is too late. When the trio of remaining survivors reunite in the woods, Tom convinces them to try to free Leonie. Tom spots smoke in the distance and encourages the group to investigate. The smoke is coming from a large fire at a survivors' encampment, where Leonie and other hostages are kept chained up. Tom convinces Marie and Phillip, who are both terrified of the abductors, that they should throw a Molotov cocktail to create a diversion so that Marie can take the car back and rescue Leonie. The rescue attempt misfires; Marie manages to get the car started and escape with Phillip, but Phillip could not break Leonie's chains so the pair leave without her; moreover, Phillip's foot is badly injured in a fight with one of the abductors. Phillip encourages Marie to consider Leonie a lost cause, but Marie insists on trying to rescue her. Marie leaves alone to search for Leonie. Marie falls asleep in a ruined church, and is awakened by a middle-aged woman named Elisabeth. Elisabeth offers Marie water and invites her to come to her family farm as a guest.

Marie sleeps in the Elisabeth's barn, only to awake to find herself locked in. Peering out the slats of the barn, she sees what looks like abducted captives being led about. Elisabeth opens the locked door and tells Marie that Phillip will be used like livestock, in the absence of other food and that Marie and Leonie will be forced to marry the sons the farmers. When Elisabeth's son Micha opens the door, Marie engages in kissing with him, but then strikes him with a large piece of wood. Injured, Micha tries to choke her, but then Leonie smashes a heavy object on him, knocking him out. Leonie escapes from the barn and hides in the woods, but Marie is bound and put in the slaughterhouse after refusing to eat human flesh during dinner. Marie witnesses Phillip's execution, but manages to cut her ziplock cuffs and escape. She opens a locked door in the barn, where she finds many captives, including Tom. The captives flee from the farm, with the family in pursuit. Tom fights with and dispatches several of the farmers. Marie manages to escape and she runs through the woods in search of her Leonie. When she finds her, Leonie is being bound by one of Elisabeth's adult sons. Elisabeth confronts Marie, who kills her with a captive bolt pistol she stole from the slaughterhouse. While the adult son mourns Elisabeth, Marie releases Leonie. The two sisters and Tom flee to the mountains, where they find water. Up in the sky, they see birds. Looking over the ridge at a chain of hills in hope of a better fate there, they can see nothing but even more blighted wasteland down in the valley.

Cast

Release

Hell opened in September 2011 in Germany.[3] On 10 July 2012, it was released on video-on-demand, and on 21 August 2012, it was released on DVD.[4]

Reception

Jay Weissberg of Variety described it as "a tightly crafted post-apocalyptic survival tale that makes up in conviction what it lacks in originality."[5] Karsten Kastelan of The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "And while this Swiss-German co-production's straightforward storytelling and white-knuckle suspense are commendable, its success will in large part depend on how much agony and human deceit audiences are willing to take."[6] Paul Mount of Starburst rated it 7/10 stars and wrote that though it lacks originality, it is a "stark and powerful film".[7] Dan Geary of Total Film rated it 1/5 stars and criticized the cinematography.[8] Mike Ferraro of Bloody Disgusting rated it 3.5/5 stars and wrote, "Hell does a great job of creating atmosphere and suspense. Sure, most of these things we have seen before, but the performances here really help guide it through the clichés in a captivating fashion."[9] Scott Weinberg of Fearnet wrote, "what Hell lacks in originality, it makes up for in gritty intensity, strong performances, and a visual presentation that’s both a workout for the eyeballs, but also strangely beautiful to look at."[10] Gerard Iribe rated it 3.5/5 stars and called it "a very decent picture" that should have had more science fiction elements.[11] David Johnson of DVD Verdict called it "slick and tense in moments" but ultimately too derivative.[12]

Awards

The film won the award for Best Film at Fantasporto.[13] At the German Academy Awards, it won the award for Best Film Music[14] and was nominated for Best Film.[15] At Sitges Film Festival, it won Best Cinematography and Special Mention.[16]

References
  1. Smith, Ian Hayden (2012). International Film Guide 2012. p. 125. ISBN 978-1908215017.
  2. "Hell". berlinale. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
  3. Moore, Debi (24 August 2011). "Trailer for Tim Fehlbaum's Hell Now Has Subtitles". Dread Central. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  4. Barton, Steve (27 June 2012). "New Trailer That's as Hot as Hell". Dread Central. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  5. Weissberg, Jay (24 August 2011). "Review: 'Hell'". Variety. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  6. Kastelan, Karsten (5 July 2011). "Hell: Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  7. Mount, Paul (27 July 2012). "Blu-ray Review: HELL". Starburst. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  8. Geary, Dan (26 July 2012). "Hell (2011)". Total Film. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  9. Ferraro, Mike (6 September 2012). "Hell". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  10. Weinberg, Scott (20 August 2012). "FEARnet Movie Review: 'Hell'". Fearnet. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  11. Iribe, Gerard (18 August 2012). "Hell". DVD Talk. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  12. Johnson, David (15 September 2012). "Hell". DVD Verdict. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  13. "Fantasporto 2012 Awards". fantasporto. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
  14. Meza, Ed (27 April 2012). "'Stopped on Track' wins best pic at German awards". Variety. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  15. Meza, Ed (23 March 2012). "Petzold's 'Barbara' leads German Lola noms". Variety. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  16. Brown, Todd (15 October 2011). "Complete Sitges Awards Announced". Twitch Film. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
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