Soundless (2004)

LAUTLOS (Soundless) is yet another film by Director/writer Mennan Yapo (with writing assists form Lars-Olaf Beier) that takes on a story of a hit man on his last job and makes it into a fine psychological thriller. The cinematography, lighting, music and pacing of this strangely dark film provide an excellent background for a superb cast of actors.Viktor (Joachim Król) is an aging hit man, a perfectionist whose reputation as a genius killer includes the fact that he works so well that he is soundless in his paid executions. We are privy to his mind's working as he focuses on his last hit, a man with a lady in his room Nina (the very beautiful Nadja Uhl) whose life he spares in the hit, an act of emotional response to the beautiful woman but an act that causes his employer to set a mark on him for his failure. Viktor saves Nina from suicide and the two become enchanted with each other. Viktor has found love at the end of his career as a murderer: Nina wants to get to know Viktor better before committing to his advances. Enter the police headed by the brilliant Lang (Christian Berkel) who is determined to capture Viktor by studying his patterns and mind tracings. Viktor and Nina are on the run but with a goal - that they will join at the sea and leave the life of crime. But before this can happen they must go through a literal wall of flames (a touch of Wagner, here). How the cat and mouse chase comes into play and resolves is the satisfying end to this polished little thriller.Król, Uhl, and Berkel (in addition to a fine supporting cast) make this tense drama intimate and penetrating and Yapo's direction keeps the pace breathless. This is a fine little thriller in German with English subtitles. Grady Harp

"Lautlos" is a well done and surprisingly fresh contract killer movie, far the best German film in this genre I know. Choosing Joachim Krol, often playing the nice guy next door is an interesting idea that really works out well. Krol as Viktor/Felix is playing well against his stereotype and provides an intense portrait of a dedicated character whose life changes dramatically when he meets "Nina", played by Nadja Uhl.Andreas Berkel is nearly equally good as profiler "Lang", showing a hunter that is completely absorbed by his job. Among other things - I like the pacing of the story and it's sympathy for the main characters, two lost souls trying to come together against major obstacles. In the end, you cannot help to develop sympathy for the lonely guy living from death but striving for love. I was very satisfied to see Viktor escape in the end, finding love and peace (?). Even his hunter seemed to like this in the end. I definitely advise to see this one.

For everybody, who likes the shiny American action film, this truly might be a bit different. What I like especially about this "german action movie" is, that everything has a kind of normal color and sound. Nothing is overdone, overcoloured. What appears as boring compared with action movies with high pace like e.g. Bad Boys is the attempt of making it more realistic and not so shiny. The villain, for example, is not the typical bad guy, shootings don't try to "look or sound good" or the SEK (german S.W.A.T.) appears quietly and nearly invisible - like they should - without any of that heroic "fly-through-the-picture-shooting". The characters are also carefully designed to maintain this realistic approach, although the investigator in charge may be considered a bit weird. The killer, however, is as normal as can be - somebody you could meet on the street. Especially Joachim Krol, who's most famous appearance was in "Der bewegte Mann" (german comedy) surprised me with his totally different character.All in all a film worth seeing, particularly while the story is different to all the action kind of movie you usually get.

I think I have to disagree with the first poster, who said he this movie could have been great if the dialogue had been better.In my opinion the absolute minimum use of dialogue between the two main characters in this picture, and for Lautlos 'picture' is more true than usual, is one of its most interesting aspects.The emotions & thought of these two people are intensely displayed by a great combination of camera-work and acting. When the word are spoken the atmosphere already has the viewer closely connected with these two characters. I found myself thinking what the characters themselves realized only seconds later and stated in a very minimalistic way.Just a beautiful film...