Introduction to a Troubling Film
While watching the impressively manufactured but increasingly annoying 135 minutes of Kirill Serebrennikov’s post-war Nazi-contained chronicle, one question always falls into my mind: Why am I looking at it? For those curious about the infamous Auschwitz doctor, also known as the "angel of death", and how he spent the last decades of his life in different South American countries, changing houses and identities, the film answers this question several times. However, for those who are not particularly interested in historical imagination that goes little beyond Mengele’s notorious reputation, this intellectual empty exercise can be difficult to stomach.
The Film’s Lack of Depth
The film, based on the book by Olivier Guez, imagines Mengele’s life after the Second World War, as he was constantly evading arrest by local authorities or possible kidnapping by Mossad. Serebrennikov, a talented author with a lot of style, shows his directorial competences in this film, but it jumps around too much, making it hard to follow. The film’s use of black and white cinematography is wonderfully contrasting and creates an immersive aesthetic experience, but it ultimately leads to a large stack of nothing.
Portrayal of Mengele
To his credit, Serebrennikov never tries to make Mengele, played by August Diehl, a likeable protagonist. There is no redemption for a man who became infamous for his team of doctors who monitored, murdered, and carried out medical experiments in Auschwitz-Birkenau. We never have sympathy for the hideous refugee, whether he is trying to reconcile with his son Rolf or fleeing from the farm where he is protected by a Hungarian couple.
Emotional Response
Watching the film leaves you without real feeling beyond indifference or deep disgust. The one sequence that is able to provoke a different kind of emotion is also the most problematic of the film: a sudden change to color and a flashback to Auschwitz, where we observe some of the doctor’s dirty deeds. This moment of pure Holocaust exploitation serves as a counterpoint to all the atrocities and attracts our hearts while offering snippets of unspeakable evil and squeamish gore.
Post-War Thriller Aspects
The post-war thriller aspects of the film are somewhat more successful, relocating between periods (from the mid-1950s to the end of the 1970s) and countries (Germany, Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil), as Mengele tries to arrange a network of supporters to help him evade capture. He is also supported by his wealthy German family, who refuse to recognize his crimes and keep reminding him, "You made your duty, you didn’t do anything wrong."
The Film’s Message
If there is something that Serebrennikov tries to say in this Nazi fantasy, it is that men like Mengele ultimately escaped retaliation through the help of other people who were either seduced by his commanding virility or remained loyal to the Third Reich long after the end of the war. At a time when fascism is on the rise all over the world, the film claims that evil continues because some of us let it happen. This is the only possible takeaway from a film that gives little justification for the portrayal of such a hideous life on screen.
