391. Iceman (Der Mann aus dem Eis ); movie review Jürgen Vogel

ICEMAN (DER MANN AUS DEM EIS)
CERT 15
94 mins
BBFC advice: Contains strong violence, sexual violence, sex

A thriller in an unknown language without subtitles. Doesn't sound promising does it? And yet, Felix Randau's movie really grips.
Iceman was inspired by Ötzi, the well-preserved mummy of a man who was discovered by walkers in the Alps between Austria and Italy in 1991.
At first it was thought that the man had died recently but tests proved he had lived between 3400 and 3100 BC.
The information gleaned from Ötzi showed what he was wearing, what he had been eating, his state of health and how he died.
From this, Randau has speculated upon his last days and created Iceman.
Jürgen Vogel plays the brought-to-life mummy who is the leader of a small clan which is settled near a creek and has a holy shrine called Tineka.
While he is away hunting, the tribe, including his wife and son, are brutally murdered by robbers who steal the Tineka.
Thus, he sets off in pursuit of vengeance with the only survivor of the massacre - a baby who is only a few days old.
Who knows whether Randau's scenario is plausible but, in trying to bring Ötzi to life, he has created a stand-out thriller.
Much of that is down to the music and harsh background of an alpine winter which takes courage and smartness to survive before the enemy even comes into view.
And, fair play to Vogel, he is utterly convincing as ancient man - even though he had no precedent to follow.
He meets the demands of role which requires heaps of energy as well as expression without many words.
Combined, all the ingredients add up to a movie which is very much worth watching.

Reasons to watch: Gripping and original
Reasons to avoid: There are no subtitles to the primitive language

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overal rating: 8/10

Director quote - Felix Randau: "For a long time, I had been searching for a mythical figure from our culture who could provide me with the basis for an archaic story – the drama of man, as it were. And then Ötzi simply arrived at my doorstep. A gift that I gladly accepted." 

The big question - What was life really like 5,300 years ago?

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