23

A movie by Hans-Christian Schmid

With August Diehl, Fabian Busch, Jan-Gregor Kemp, Dieter Landuris

Monika says:

Karl Koch (August Diehl) has been fascinated with the Illuminati ever since his father gave him the book "Illuminatus" by Robert Anton Wilson for his birthday. He reads it again and again and is convinced that a global conspiracy is plotting to start the Third World War. The number 23 has magical meaning for him because it seems to be the connection between every important event of the present and past.

His computer is just as important for Karl as the book. He dials up to various bulletin boards and hacks into computer systems. At first this is just a pastime to prove how low the security standards of many networks are. It soon becomes very serious when he is caught in the net of the KGB and works as a spy together with his friend David (Fabian Busch).

The movie 23 tells the story of legendary German hacker Karl Koch who was a spy for the Soviets in the 80ies and who was found murdered at the age of 23. In spite of the documentary character of the film director Hans-Christian Schmid managed to create tension that quickly draws in the viewer. He describes the German hacker scene of the 80ies without too much computer speak so that even the un-initiated will not feel excluded. People are more important than technology. The mystical component introduced by the connection to the Illuminati lends the movie a certain air of secrecy that entices curiosity and makes sure the viewers are never bored.

August Diehl and Fabian Busch give a convincing and very natural performance. Jan-Gregor Kemp and Dieter Landuris just do the old bad-guy routine and seem pale in comparison, but their characters aren’t in the center of the action anyway.

Who lived through and remembers the 80ies will be pleased at the recreated atmosphere of the decade. This isn’t only true for computer nostalgics. The set was lovingly equipped with lots of details.

The director proved that comedies aren’t the only movies to come out of Germany. If you are tired of reading the same names in the credits over and over again, here you can see a movie made without the likes of Katja Riemann and Til Schweiger, and it’s none the worse for it.

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Monika Hübner

Last changes: 01/04/03