ANATOMIE 2 (2000 - HORROR / THRILLER / MYSTERY) ***1/2 out of *****
(Once more into the Aga Actabile Antihippocrate breach we go, dear friends...)
CAST: Barnaby Metschurat, Rosie Alvarez, Heike Makatsch, Herbert Knaup, Rosel Zech, Frank Giering, Hanno Koffler, August Diehl, Murali Perumal, Joachim Bibmeier, Boris Pietsch, Roman Knizka, Sebastian Nakajew, Felix Kramer, Wotan Wilke Mohring, Hauke Mammen.
DIRECTORS: Stefan Ruzowitsky
WARNING: Some SPOILERS and more damn good reasons to stay the fuck out of German medical schools - straight ahead...
IT'S LIKE THIS: In our last review, we followed the adventures (well, maybe we should say mis-adventures) of the lovely German med student Paula Henning (Franka Potente) as she tried to expose a long-thought-forgotten secret society of rogue doctors at the Heidelberg med school she was attending. This resulted in several of her buddies being offed by a psycho member of the Aga Actabile Antihippocrate, the aforementioned secret society (or AAA, not to be confused with the convenient roadside service that has saved our asses on many occasions). Fortunately, Paula survived the AAA antics - and lived to fight another day. The proof is her cameo in this flick, which continues the AAA assholes' reign of terror. Unfortunately, Paula's role is much smaller here - probably because she got tired of being chased by the psycho doctors in the first movie. She basically says "Nein, danke!" and gladly passes the Protagonist Baton to someone else this time around.
He is the hot Josef "Joe" Hauser (Barnaby Metschurat), and like Paula he (in addition to being hot) is earnest, ambitious, comes from humble origins, and wants to change the World - or at least find a cure for his baby bro's debilitating medical condition. Unlike Paula, however, he is an awesome soccer player when he's not hitting the medical books - which already makes him a more compelling hero in my book. We see proof of Joe's soccer devotion as the opening credits roll. The camera pans over the trophies and championship articles all over his room. Then, as he is getting ready to drive off to do his internship at a Berlin hospital, his crippled little brother Willi (Hanno Koffler), reminds him to stay loyal to Duisburg FC and never surrender to Berlin's team. "Duisburg forever!" agrees Joe as he drives off to catch a train, while one of my favorite songs ("Little By Little" by Oasis) plays over the scene.
Oh, yeah, folks... We are barely three minutes into this movie, and already I know the hero is a hottie who is also an awesome soccer player who loves his little brother and likes the music of Oasis. I think this was the point where I smiled, nodded, and thought to myself: "Ah, yes, this isn't going to be a borderline-piece-of-shit like the first movie." And, well, I was right. But more on that in the BUT SERIOUSLY portion of our review.
So, anyhow, Joe makes it to Berlin where he proceeds to get settled in before classes start. He is aided immeasurably by the presence of Lee (Rosie Alvarez), a gorgeous Philippine nurse who basically becomes a guardian angel to our hero. Lee introduces Joe to all the other Philippine nurses living in the hospital dormitory, and they all pretty much embrace him the way Philippine Chicks have historically welcomed White Men: eagerly. I happen to know, because that's why I'm on this Earth. But I digress. Again. Anyway, just like that, Joe has got himself an instant family (and potential girlfriend) before the first day of class has even arrived.
It's really fortunate that Lee and the other nurses are such nice people, because it turns out that Joe's classmates are all pretty much major douchebags. On Day One of his internship, for example, Joe finds out that there is a pecking order at Berlin General when it comes to interns - and he is pretty much on the lowest rung. At the very top of the social ladder is the posse of interns that are mentored by Professor Muller-Larousse (Herbert Knaup), some surgeon who almost won the Nobel Prize and is basically the German version of Alec Baldwin's egomaniac doctor in MALICE. As in: "I don't have a God complex. I am God, bitches..." Okay, I added that last word for effect. Shoot me.
Muller-Larousse's team of "aren't-we-all-so-fucking-FABULOUS!?!?" interns consist of: (1) Viktoria (Heike Makatsch), slut douchebag; (2) Kurt (Felix Kramer), another douche; (3) Gregor (Wotan Wilke Mohring), yet another douche; (4) Wulf (Sebastian Nakajew), yes, folks, another douche; (5) Dirk (Murali Perumal), super-douche; (6) Conny (Hauke Mammen), female douche who, unlike Victoria, is not a slut (not that it makes her more likable or anything); and (7) Sven (Frank Giering), tubby blonde dude who is kind of hot and is probably the only one in the group who isn't a douche. Which can only mean one thing: he's going to die first. And badly...
Joe learns that the members of Muller-Larousse's private posse are virtually guaranteed success in the medical field. So, for the sake of his baby bro, Joe figures out how to gain access into their exclusive little "club." His chance comes sooner than he thinks when one of the Philippine nurses tearfully begs Joe to operate on her daughter, who has some bleeding in her brain. They have no insurance (despite being nurses) and are desperate. At Lee's urging, Joe agrees and saves the girl's life. Little do they know, though, that Muller-Larousse has been watching the whole operation from a secret video camera surveillance system that would make the pervo landlord from SLIVER very proud.
However, instead of busting Joe for subverting hospital authority and operating illegally on the Philippine girl, Muller-Larousse tells Joe how impressed he is. Apparently, Joe's actions showed that he is someone who isn't afraid to bend the rules for the greater good. And, evidently, this is something that Muller-Larousse looks for in his disciples. And since one of his posse recently, ahem, committed "suicide," it appears there is an opening on Mack Daddy Muller-Larousse's team. Would Joe be interested in joining? Well, let's just say that our boy Joe doesn't have to think twice about that one.
Before you know it, Joe is running with Viktoria, Gregor, Wulf, Dirk, Conny, Sven, and the rest of the Dr. Douche Brigade. Very much to the concern of Lee, who correctly deduces that these folks are a bunch of rotten assholes who will eventually lead her boy Joe astray. But how can she warn him? Especially when that tramp Viktoria keeps opening her legs and fucking Joe senseless at every opportunity. The first encounter is when Viktoria drags Joe back to her lab so she can, ahem, "test" his endurance and stamina. Yes, folks, it means exactly what you think it does: she attaches electrodes to his dick as he bangs her thirty ways from the Fourth of July. Let's just say that a couple of interns will be walking funny in the morning. Ahem.
Then, just to make things more interesting, Joe finds out what Muller-Larousse's team does when they are not strutting around the hospital like a bunch of preening peacocks. It seems that Muller-Larousse is working on creating synthetic muscles and nerves which he hopes will wipe out paralysis and nerve damage. Meaning quadriplegics and cripples will all eventually be able to walk again. Meaning Joe's little baby bro Willi will be able to play soccer with his big bro once again some day. This is enough for Joe to sign up as a Guinea pig for the synthetic muscles, the way the rest of the team has. Apparently, each one of Muller-Larousse's douches has volunteered to test the synthetic muscle implants in a body part of his/her choice. Joe, being a soccer player, chooses his calves.
And, yes folks... this means exactly what you think it does: Joe goes out onto the soccer field - and mops the pitch with the opposing teams's asses. And their faces. And their pride. Let's just say that the new super-muscles in Joe's calves have the same effect on his soccer skills that Viagra has on a limp dick. In other words: "Thar She Blows!" Within a matter of minutes, the score is 12-0, in favor of Joe's team. It all becomes so boring to watch the opposing team try in vain to catch up, that Joe eventually just swaggers off the pitch before the game is even half over, with the referee screaming for him to come back - just to fuck Viktoria. Now that's a Cock of the Block, right there...
Yep, you'd think that all is well with Joe's world. You'd think that, but you'd be dead wrong. You see, all of sudden, Sven turns up dead. Now, this would be disturbing by itself, but it happens after Sven calls up Joe in a panic, saying he has to talk to him about something that is a matter of life and death. Unfortunately, before Joe can meet up with him, Sven takes a swan dive off the roof of the medical building. And even more disturbing is what Joe discovers by searching the hospital's database: Sven is the third member of Muller-Larousse's team to suffer an untimely death within the last few months. Coincidence? Only if you think that doctors really, really, really hate playing golf.
So... what is going on with Muller-Larousse's group? Why are they being bumped off like bottles at a shooting gallery? Who will be the next one to suffer an "accident?" Joe? Viktoria? Gregor? Dirk? Conny? Wulf? Muller-Larousse himself? Could the deaths be related to the illicit synthetic muscle implants? Is someone killing off the interns to hide a secret about them? What happens when Joe finally realizes he wants out? Will Muller-Larousse let him walk away just like that? Or will he go after someone Joe loves to force him to stay and cooperate? Like Lee? Or even Willi? How can Joe protect his friends and family? Who will protect Joe?
My vote is on Lee and her posse of Philippine nurses. Go, girlz - save that white boy...
BUT, SERIOUSLY: Our last review was the German horror/thriller ANATOMIE, which had an interesting premise and set-up but ultimately faltered because it didn't have the conviction to fully explore its initial concept: a secret society from centuries past spreading its dark influence in modern times - and endangering those who cross paths with it. Instead, writer/director Stefan Ruzowitsky fell back on stock characterizations and tired slasher cliches that undermined the narrative. Even the luminous Frank Potente, who elevated her role and made it the only interesting one, could only do so much to keep the story afloat.
Despite its flaws, ANATOMIE was enough of a hit in Germany and in the rest of the World - leading to a sequel. Fortunately, it appears Ruzowitsky has learned from his mis-steps in the first film, delivering a stronger film this time, with a more interesting group of characters - and a more cohesive and consistent plot. Unlike ANATOMIE, which couldn't decide whether to be a medical mystery/thriller or a slasher horror/flick, ANATOMIE 2 is more assured and mature in its narrative approach: it is firmly planted in medical-conspiracy territory.
Franka Potente returns to the movie, but her role of Paula Henning is much smaller than before. Paula only appears in the second half of a movie, and is now a cop intent on busting the Aga Actabile Antihippocrate practitioners. She makes the most of her limited scenes, but is such a radiant presence that her role feels bigger than it is. Fortunately, Barnaby Matschurat as new protagonist Joe Hauser is himself such a vivid screen presence that the movie doesn't suffer from the relative absence of Potente from most of the movie.
Matschurat is effective as Joe, showing us all the different sides to this character: the selfless need to succeed for the sake of his crippled brother (a nice plot thread), the self-serving desire to prove his worth to measure up to his more celebrated colleagues, and the uncertainty that slowly grows as he questions the path he has chosen. Matschurat also brings a nice athleticism to the soccer scenes, making them galvanizing and exciting. His physical prowess also comes in handy in the "escape sequence" late in the film, where he pushes his wheelchair-bound brother through the hospital at breakneck speed - making full use of his powerful synthetic calf muscles - in an attempt to evade his murderous team members. In short, Barnaby Matschurat is a more than worthy successor to the lead ole that Franka Potente occupied in the first film.
As this film's heroine, Rosie Alvarez is a reassuringly warm presence as Lee, the loyal Philippine nurse who stands by Joe through thick and thin - and saves his skin more than once. Alvarez is actually half-Irish/half-Philippine, and it appears that her hair and skin have been darkened to make her blend more with the full-Philippine characters around her, but she is completely believable in the role. Her relationship with Joe becomes the emotional fulcrum that the story pivots around. Lee tries to teach the ambitious Joe that heart is more important than power - and that success is not worth it if it means you sell your soul. This relationship emotionally anchors ANATOMIE 2 in a way that ANATOMIE never was (which was due to the lack of a strong link between Paula Henning and Caspar - the male lead character). Here, the hero and heroine have a solid connection that makes the story more resonant. It helps considerably, too, that Matschurat and Alvarez have strong chemistry between them - and make a beautiful couple to look at.
As the "bad girl," Heike Makatsch does something that Anna Loos from the first film never had the chance (or inclination) to do with her similar role: turn what could've been a stock character (the seductive vamp) into a morally conflicted and damaged character. Makatsch's Viktoria is clearly a woman accustomed to success and control - but is waylaid by her feelings for Muller-Larousse, which even she doesn't understand. Viktoria, just like Joe and Lee, has layers to her personality and that make her far more interesting than Gretchen from the first film, who was a one-note slut from the word "go." Makatsch is particularly strong in a scene where she is forced by Muller-Larousse to kill off an innocent character. With minimal dialogue, Makatsch effortlessly plays Viktoria's conflicted feelings of fear, desperation, and confusion - and shows her versatility.
As the main baddie, Herbert Knaup is a suitably alluring and menacing presence. Unlike Benno Fuhrmann's cardboard cipher Hein in ANATOMIE, Muller-Larousse is a very fathomable villain who we can easily get: he wants to succeed in the dog-eat-dog world of medical research, and will do anything to achieve it - even if it means going beyond the boundaries of acceptable medical research. The role needed someone not only handsome, but also charismatic, intelligent, and elusive so that we can understand why all these brilliant medical interns would be "seduced" by him. With the understatedly deadly and charming Knaup in the part, we get why.
The supporting characters are appropriately vivid and strong. Among them, Hanno Koffler is a standout. He is a nice, affable presence as Willi, Joe's crippled little brother who adores his older brother and dreams of playing soccer with him one day. In addition to Joe's central relationship with Lee, his brotherly connection to Willi also gives ANATOMIE 2 the strong emotional core that ANATOMIE didn't have. We understand why Joe makes a "deal with the devil" - it's because he wants to be able to get ahead and be in a position where he can do research to help his brother recover. The need to protect family is a very basic instinct, and it provides Joe with a compelling motivation in the story - and us with a strong rooting interest in him.
Ultimately, writer/director Stefan Ruzowitsky makes up for the shortcomings of ANATOMIE by avoiding them in ANATOMIE 2. This time we get a more assured and streamlined plot, stronger and more nuanced characters, and an actual emotional center to keep the film from being just another average horror/thriller. All these elements combine to make ANATOMIE 2 an outright good movie.
Good job, Stefan...
In closing, the awesome “Little By Little” by the band Oasis. It plays over the opening credits of ANATOMIE 2, when Willi and Joe say goodbye. It’s kind of like their theme song. Love this song..
