Review by John Delia
Very cringing, the film Plan A enters theaters with a story based on a true incident that took place in Germany at the end of WWII. Nicely filmed and produced, the movie is gripping and mesmerizing. It’s so maddening that it’s hard to take sides for forgiveness or revenge. The acting is extremely good, direction impeccable, and production value realistic.
The war in Europe comes to a close as we find Max (August Diehl) a survivor of the Jewish Holocaust returning to his former residence still in dismay over what Germany has caused to humanity. Approaching his homestead the German occupants meet him with disdain and order him off of “their” farm. Nowhere to go he heads for the ruins of his city looking for information on his wife and child. There he meets people who are trying to form a unique group in a plot to “pay back” for the holocaust.
When he meets Jewish survivor Anna (Sylvia Hoeks) she brings him into the inner workings of the avengers. Brothers Doron and Yoav Paz direct Plan A using sets, video, CGI and costumes to express the ruin, depravity and unconscionable hatred for life during and after the war. Turning the camera on a deranged world we see that even when things were over, the instilled loathing by common people due to the sick government still infected German hearts.
Plan A has not been rated by the MPAA but contains violence, language, sex, and disturbing images. I like the way the story was told, even at the end where the directors interview the real Jews that conceived the plot of revenge. It’s a must see film so we will never forget what could happen to people of a different faiths and ideologies. (5 out of 5 Stars)
Additional Film Information:
Cast: August Diehl, Sylvia Hoeks, Michael Aloni, Nikolai Kinski, Milton Welsh, Tim Wilde, Michael Brandner
Directed and written by: Doron Paz, Yoav Paz
Genre: Drama, War
MPAA Rating: Not Rated, contains violence, language, sex, disturbing images
Running Time: 1 hr. 49 min.
Opening Date: October 14, 2022
Distributed by: Menemsha Films
Released in: Theaters