From the get go we the audience find out who the perpetrators are, who is the aggressor and who is the submissive accomplice to the first rape and murder of a young girl riding home on her bicycle in 1986. As the two criminals, Ulrich Thomsen (as Peer Sommer) and Woltan Mohring (as Timo Friedrich) lives unfold over the next 23 years we observe the police relentless pursuit of what they believe to be a single rapist and murderer. Families of the victim and police are heart broken and suffer immense internal pain and personal break ups in their respective marriages. We the audience can't wait to see how these two evil doers will be discovered and justice will prevail.
Then, 23 years later we witness another young girl arguing with her parents about her school grades and in a retaliatory stance she takes off with her back pack and tennis racket under the pretense that if her father won't drive her to the tennis court she will get there on her own. Instead once outside of her parents near grasp she heads to the amusement park to meet her friends who don't show up at the amusement park. As dusk falls she decides to ride her bike home alone, but a cars bright headlights are following her and within the time it takes the audience to take a deep breath, she disappears and is announced by the police and media as another missing person.
Who killed her? We are not sure but we have a pretty good idea. The submissive perpetrator Timo Friedrich, who now has a loving wife and two children of his own is still haunted by the 1986 murder and decides to confront the alpha dog Peer Sommer. Will they attempt to capture, rape and torture another girl now that they are back together, or will they attempt to kill each other to maintain "The Silence"?
In the true sense of the thriller genre we the audience with our investigative and limited analytical brains scrambling trying to figure how this will end are witness to a sad but true to life ending that has occurred all around the world with the senseless murders of so many young girls and with the unknown and continued silence of the who and why? The police force who have been on this case for the past 23 years celebrate the lead investigators retirement with new detectives vigorously re-opening the original case now that a second missing girl has been reported missing in the exact same location. There is much tension in the ways and means the investigation should be handled by the lead detective and his captain.
This film is well worth a watch even with English sub titles. It will capture your heart and soul for a different outcome then the silence. A strong 8 out of 10 rating is deserved for this German released film.
Then, 23 years later we witness another young girl arguing with her parents about her school grades and in a retaliatory stance she takes off with her back pack and tennis racket under the pretense that if her father won't drive her to the tennis court she will get there on her own. Instead once outside of her parents near grasp she heads to the amusement park to meet her friends who don't show up at the amusement park. As dusk falls she decides to ride her bike home alone, but a cars bright headlights are following her and within the time it takes the audience to take a deep breath, she disappears and is announced by the police and media as another missing person.
Who killed her? We are not sure but we have a pretty good idea. The submissive perpetrator Timo Friedrich, who now has a loving wife and two children of his own is still haunted by the 1986 murder and decides to confront the alpha dog Peer Sommer. Will they attempt to capture, rape and torture another girl now that they are back together, or will they attempt to kill each other to maintain "The Silence"?
In the true sense of the thriller genre we the audience with our investigative and limited analytical brains scrambling trying to figure how this will end are witness to a sad but true to life ending that has occurred all around the world with the senseless murders of so many young girls and with the unknown and continued silence of the who and why? The police force who have been on this case for the past 23 years celebrate the lead investigators retirement with new detectives vigorously re-opening the original case now that a second missing girl has been reported missing in the exact same location. There is much tension in the ways and means the investigation should be handled by the lead detective and his captain.
This film is well worth a watch even with English sub titles. It will capture your heart and soul for a different outcome then the silence. A strong 8 out of 10 rating is deserved for this German released film.