The Experiment

Name: The Experiment
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Released: September 18, 2002
Duration: 120 min
Rating: 59
Cast: Christian Berkel, Danny Richter, Markus Rudolf, Moritz Bleibtreu, Oliver Stokowski

2002

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 20 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 35 Ratings

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7.3

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7.3	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 35 Ratings

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Das Experiment

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Movie Details & Credits

IDP Distribution | Release Date: September 18, 2002 | R

Starring: Christian Berkel, Danny Richter, Markus Rudolf, Moritz Bleibtreu, Oliver Stokowski, Peter Fieseler, Polat Dal, Ralf Müller, Stephan Szasz, Wotan Wilke Möhring

Summary: Inspired by the Stanford Prison Experiment, this psychological drama focuses on twenty paid recruits who are divided into groups "prisoners" and "guards" and are let loose in a controlled prison-like environment.

Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel

Genre(s): Drama, Thriller

Rating: R

Runtime: 120 min

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Metascore

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Mixed:

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Critic Reviews

New Times (L.A.) Bill Gallo

En route, we also get a chance to examine the nature of the self and the responsibilities of science. Das Experiment has all this and more, excitingly packaged as a prison movie featuring superb performances and high emotional tension. Read full review

Ray Conlogue

This is a grimly thrilling movie that falls somewhere between clear-eyed realism and the improbabilities of an action flick. Read full review

Roger Ebert

What impressed me is how effective the movie was, even though the outcome is a foregone conclusion. That's a tribute to the director, Oliver Hirschbiegel, and the actors, who have been chosen with the same kind of typecasting that perhaps occurs in life. Read full review

Marc Savlov

Doesn't tell you anything about human nature you probably haven't already suspected, but then again it's good to be reminded of these dark things from time to time. Especially these days. Read full review

A.O. Scott

It's empty calories trying to trumpet its bogus nutritional value, and the strain for social importance undermines the picture. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Maitland McDonagh

First-time feature filmmaker Oliver Hirschbiegel maintains a riveting sense of simmering brutality. Read full review

Hazel-Dawn Dumpert

Too much of a mess to say anything with assurance, pieced together as it is from mismatched institutional movies such as "Cool Hand Luke" and "Shock Corridor" -- with "Lord of the Flies" thrown in for good measure -- and turning on plot points that simply don't wash. Read full review

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User Reviews

gracjanski

Apr 9, 2021

There is only few mistakes: The movie is a bit unrealistic and sometimes the actors are too quiet and should speak louder. But other than that it is a top movie with good acting and humanistic meaning. Especially I like, that the movie focus on the psychological development of the characters.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Broyax

Dec 14, 2017

L'Expérience est une sorte de "jeu" grandeur nature, un "test" éminemment instructif et édifiant dans lequel 8 gardiens sont chargés de surveiller 12 détenus sous l'oeil attentif des expérimentateurs qui veulent ainsi regarder à la loupe, puis éventuellement disséquer le comportement humainL'Expérience est une sorte de "jeu" grandeur nature, un "test" éminemment instructif et édifiant dans lequel 8 gardiens sont chargés de surveiller 12 détenus sous l'oeil attentif des expérimentateurs qui veulent ainsi regarder à la loupe, puis éventuellement disséquer le comportement humain dans une telle situation...

C'est inspiré de faits réels et bien entendu on se doute bien que tout cela va partir en vrille bien vite... On pense évidemment avant cette "expérience" à celle de Stanley Milgram sur la soumission à l'autorité et la déshumanisation stupéfiante qu'elle a engendrée. Ici, le réalisateur allemand Oliver Hirschbiegel exploite à fond le concept et le creuse à l'extrême.

De façon très progressive, il démonte et démontre habilement toute la mécanique qui va mener à la violence, au sadisme, à la cruauté et à l'humiliation. Puis au meurtre. L'ambiance est très réaliste, telle une sorte de quasi-documentaire et si quelques points scénaristiques sont sujets à caution (le rôle de la copine, anecdotique et dispensable notamment) si peut-être une certaine exagération fait pencher finalement le film vers le thriller plus classique, il n'en reste pas moins que l'objectif recherché est atteint : nous voilà sidérés par cette Expérience qui n'a rien perdu de son impact, bien des années après.

On retrouve quelques pointures du cinéma allemand et la mise en scène caractéristique de Hirschbiegel : plutôt froide et peu amène en vérité mais contrairement au cinéma américain sans aucun effet de manches ou de guimauve superflue. Pas de "leçon" non plus, car les "faits" parlent d'eux-mêmes et ça, c'est très appréciable. Un film passionnant et très efficace, toujours aussi saisissant.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

FatalBrush

Aug 3, 2018

Interesting throughout the complete duration. The love story integrated seemed kinda exaggerated but everything else was shocking and quite realistic.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

CineAutoctono

Sep 29, 2017

"Das Experiment" the original version, was unsettling, so much that plays an important role in psychology and philosophical, good characters and a very good story that will keep you glued to the seat, so I felt it.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MrPajamas

Mar 12, 2022

An interesting film that started innocently enough, but gradually started to build up and ended in a proper style. Prison had its own atmosphere and it was made even better by the fact that it was an experiment based on a true story. What I also liked was the brutality at times, which theAn interesting film that started innocently enough, but gradually started to build up and ended in a proper style. Prison had its own atmosphere and it was made even better by the fact that it was an experiment based on a true story. What I also liked was the brutality at times, which the film didn't shy away from. For me, a good film that I can recommend.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MarmaladeOven

Jan 23, 2014

This film was intense. It was based off the Stanford Prison Experiment, but if I remember correctly, nobody really died at the end of it, though someone did get removed early, and some of the psychologists actually tried to stop the experiment earlier than 6 days. Great performance byThis film was intense. It was based off the Stanford Prison Experiment, but if I remember correctly, nobody really died at the end of it, though someone did get removed early, and some of the psychologists actually tried to stop the experiment earlier than 6 days. Great performance by everyone in the cast. But I'm not a big fan of the story, since it seemed a bit melodramatic; the phrase "that escalated quickly" really describes this film. I wish they'd actually stuck to the facts instead of aiming for the disgust factor. They made the psychologists look like real genuine gullible idiots in this film; first, they let an ex-convict in (they obviously did not do any background checks), second, they let a potentially psychopathic guy in, third, they took their participants at their word (people lie, it's a fact).… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

danielb1982

Feb 24, 2015

I got this movie after I discovered it was written, produced & directed by the genius behind Prison Break Paul T Scheuring.

The two leads are brilliant, and it was clear from this film how they were both Oscar winners. A couple of the scenes were brutal, overall a good movie, not theI got this movie after I discovered it was written, produced & directed by the genius behind Prison Break Paul T Scheuring.

The two leads are brilliant, and it was clear from this film how they were both Oscar winners.

A couple of the scenes were brutal, overall a good movie, not the best I've ever seen, but I'm glad I bought it.… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

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