Tattoo (2002)

Best movie of this year hands down!

Instant Favorite.

Wow! What a bizarre film! Unfortunately the few funny moments there were were quite overshadowed by it's completely weird and random vibe throughout.

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

"Tattoo" is the first feature film from writer and director Robert Schwentke. When it came out in 2002, August Diehl was huge rising star in Germany. I actually like him, but as the film progressed, I felt it was really much more about the actor in the center of the movie then about a good story. I did not like the path they took with the tattoos and the story behind the murders. I wish it would just have been one single-acting sociopath who turns out as a ritual murderer.Apart from that, it has to be mentioned that Redl's and Diehl's character are almost equal at the beginning of the film, but it all switches much more towards Diehl. the way Redl's character was written out of the film was particularly disappointing with how much focus was on him early on. All we find out about his family history was just means to have Diehl's character meet his daughter later on. He turned from a lead into a completely pointless character in roughly 90 minutes. I found myself thinking that Diehl could be the killer or that Redl could be the killer during the film. I was wrong both times. With Redl as the killer, it may have been a mixture of "Training Day" and "Collateral". Anyway, things take a turn for the worse when that one guy kills himself with Diehl's weapon. That scene was maybe the most cringeworthy moment of the entire movie and I felt that they completely sacrificed a credible script for just random showy action scenes at this point. And the whole cop-witness attraction between Diehl's and Krebitz' characters was too cliché for my taste too. And finally, the transformation from a "weakling" almost into a badass cop from Diehl's character did not feel really credible either.The first half of the film is solid, the second half is considerably weaker. As a whole, I would not recommend this film. I wish they would have kept both protagonists in the center of the story. I quite like August Diehl as an actor, but that script was just too much centered around him. Also, the film lost a bit credibility when almost everybody is suddenly tattooed, like Krebitz' character or also Diehl at the very end.

Tattoo (2002)What a crazy movie, the movie start of with a lady who is naked walking in the rain, her back as just been skinned off, then she gets hit by a bus that crash and blows up.Then police are investigation that body at morgue and find out that there finger in side her, she as bit of the attack sh-allowed!That was just first 4 minutes of the movie , the action packed for the first hour so, fast moving, it gets little slower just after hour into movie but it dose not last long, as pick up speed again for last 20 minutes.I did not get the ending at all, I wish it was bit was clear.Really good movie and great acting in the movie.7 out of 10

The directorial debut of Schwentke is no-doubt a very well shot movie. It looks beautiful, ıts atmosphere is intriguing, the score and soundtrack is perfect match and the acting is above average.. whoever succeeds in shooting a movie that looks like this as a debut is deemed to be a very successful director. thats for sure.. His obssesion with reflections can be tiring from time to time but Schwentke handles this so delicately this trademark of his never feels repetitive..It is nearly impossible to think of someone who would not wonder about Schwentke's next project after watching Tattoo. So after so much praise lets come to the negatives. I will say only one thing: story.. It is full of nonsense. Minks a cop of years of experience on the streets can not locate his own daughter but the younger cop who is asked to help find her in a day.. and hey she was working as a bartender in a nightclub. But a 20 year veteran detective who seems to live to find his daughter can not locate her..? Actually I myself had difficulty in following the plot but the movie gives you the understanding that the police in Germany is really really incompetent--no offense to the Polizie it is just what the movie suggests..-- 12 deads, one dead detective and his daughter and still no one seems to care including the chief..? I think with a stronger screenplay this movie had the potential to be a classic especially with the direction of Schwentke.. A solid 7.5

Saw this flick at a funky theater in Pasadena, California known for showing art-type films.I thought this film was very well made. OK, the ending was slightly ambiguous, but who cares. The story, character development, acting were great and the production value was high. It was beautifully shot, lit, directed, edited and the music was great. Was hoping to get to see it again but it left the theatre before I had a chance. I am a big fan of this genre and most are not of the level of quality of TATTOO.Am I the only person who liked this movie this much? And I don't even have a tattoo.Anybody know if this film can be rented or purchased?roz tillman