The Baader Meinhof Complex is an interesting film, in that it incorporates a rather complex and often confusing narrative about terrorists that were convinced that they were opposing Nazi’s. They believed this because they were. After the fallout of World War II much of the Nazi party retained their jobs in an effort to quickly rebuild Germany. As the children of that generation began to grow up they found it odd that the people who were responsible for the horrors of Nazi-era Germany were still running much of the country. And as students began to protest this setup, and the German government continued to punish them for it, it started the inevitable cycle of terror that would rip through the country for the next decade.

Unfortunately I am no where near well versed enough on Germany’s post-war history to be much of an authority, and as such The Baader Meinhof Complex often comes across as a convoluted mess, at least plot wise. But the ideas it is speaking of are both fascinating and challenging. The Baader Meinhof Complex initially romanticizes the actions of the Red Army Faction, as they were students who felt it was their civic duty to stand up to the conservative government that was running the country and was still populated with Nazi’s. But, as their revolution lengthens and more and more generations of revolutionaries join their cause the film shifts in tone, as it recognizes that this course of action results in no winners, just death, destruction and fear.

The Baader Meinhof Complex is a fascinating film, and it certainly argues some very interesting, if not controversial points, but it seems to need a bit more refinement in its plotting to make things easier for viewers such as myself to follow it. I know the big events (the Munich Games and the Lufthansa hijacking for instance) but I know little of the players in this game and the film does little to flesh them out, which results in The Baader Meinhof Complex being an interesting film, but far from a great one.

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