User Reviews

I would like you people please to disregard the IMDb score and see this movie for yourself. It appears that view have watched this, and indeed if you remove the idiotic "bollbashers" (those who rate 1 on every film by Uwe), you would get an average of 6.4, a more suitable score for this film.

As a whole, this is not a great movie. But I had a unique pang of excitement when Joe Louis was on screen. Max Schmeling is played by Henry Mask, and the boxing matches were very similar to the real thing. The authenticity stems from both the director, who boxed at an amateur level for 15 years, and the "star" was a gold medallist, who had previously held the IBF world light-heavyweight title. This occasionally transcends into flat acting that on a whole was plainly mediocre. Still, Schmeling himself wanted him to play the role.

This film deals with 14 years of his life, and shows how the Nazis used him as propaganda, and how he went against their values- even saving Jewish boys from Kristallnacht. He has a blooming romance that comes across as a bit cliché, but in all this movie was interesting, and very truthful to Schmelings actual life. Some bits are omitted or mentioned in brief, but actual footage was organically placed into the film to make it seem more like the Nazi period of time. You can't help but feel your looking at true history - that of a German hero.

Concludingly, an average boxing film about an above average man. 6/10.

Max Schmeling is certainly a candidate for such a description. Then there is also the likes of Beckenbauer, Nowitzki, Schumacher, Becker and maybe a handful more. So many will probably not be too amused to hear that Uwe Boll is the director who made this film. However, I have to say I was very positively surprised by the outcome. The fact that Henry Maske (one of Germany's greatest boxers of all time himself) played Schmeling did not hurt the film at all, even if Maske had no real acting experience. A brave choice and a successful one. Maske was up to 15 years older than Schmeling when he played him in the film, but also this is not a problem at all. Also all the other boxers in the film with ring action are played by professional boxers such as Artur Abraham.

As it is been so long since Schmeling's peak, people today know hardly nothing about him. A shame. And this film educates us on an athlete who does not deserve to be forgotten. For example that his name as a fighter was Black Uhlan of the Rhine. The film plays at wartime, but it's really much more about Schmeling's career than about politics, although we, of course, find out about Schmeling's attitude towards the Nazis who glorified him after he bet the Negro Louis and forgot him after he lost to Louis. It's interesting to watch Schmeling's struggles as he still was not fully accepted as a champion due to the way he won his first big fight (an illegal punch by his opponent). Only knockouts or really long fights counted as worthy back in the day. Another big part of the film is about Schmeling's long-lasting relationship with actress Anny Ondra.

The most interesting way to watch this film is obviously if you don't know anything about the way Schmeling's big fights ended, especially those against Louis, but it's equally a great watch for those with an interest in the world of boxing. Certainly recommended. I have not seen too much from Boll, but this is certainly a pretty good movie, possibly his best.

Would this be the first "real" film that Uwe Boll has made? His first work that critics will take serious and that will bestow upon him the glory and acclaim that he, as Boll keeps saying, deserves? Perhaps even his first good movie? Well no, miracles don't come so quick or cheap. Making film is like any other sport: you can only learn to the limit of your potential. Eventually you have to acknowledge that you'll never make it into the big league, that you "don't have it in you" and will spend your boxing days in the amateur league. Pardon my French, but there's just no way to turn manure into gold. But let's not loose too many words on the "German Ed Wood"; enough bile and vitriol has run down that creek already.

Max Schmeling is the Mohammed Ali of German boxing, a sporting legend and often fingered as one of the few German celebrities that stayed "decent" in the times of Adolf Hitler and the NS-Regime (he refused to rat out neither against his Jewish manager nor his "non-Aryan" wife and retained a friendship with the colored boxer Joe Louis). He was a heavy weight world champion, used as an icon, was eventually discarded by the propaganda machine, sent to the front as gun fodder when he outgrew his use and remained a popular figure in the German media until his death in 2005, at the respectable age of 99.

We may never find out why Uwe Boll saw himself the man to make a movie about this iconic figure – we can only speculate that it was because he once was a semi-professional boxer himself and used to beat his critics to a pulp in boxing matches. Nor will we ever find out why nobody prevented him from doing so; then again, that's Germany for you. The American reader may imagine that the makers of "Epic Movie", undeniably the un-funniest spoof-film in history, having a go at a Cassius Clay / Mohammed Ali biopic and than imagine the public outrage among movie-fans and boxing-aficionados. Unfortunately there was no such outrage among the complaisant German citizens and nobody stopped Boll from producing this film.

It's really not so different from any other Uwe Boll movie: it's shoddily produced, sweats incompetence from every pore – yes, it's like gleefully watching a duo of drunks performing the Wilhelm Tell routine. Where other directors may try out new angles or approaches, Boll shoots straight as an arrow, telling the story from A to Z; like a 3rd Grader writing an essay on "how I spent my summer".

Let's talk about the acting. Well, there is preciously little. Protagonist Henry Maske (himself a former champion turned socialite) is neither a trained actor nor does he have much natural talent. Seeing a wounded Schmeling / Maske lying in a sickbay, asking for a glass of water in his broad Saxony accent (his first line) is enough to animate the audience to some mischievous giggle. A block of wood has more charisma and skill and so we have to watch Maske stumble from scene to scene, always on the lookout for the camera, as if asking for aid from the director which never came. To his credit, Boll was clever enough never to let his star recite more than three or four sentences in one go. Just imagine a young Arnold Schwarzenegger – no, not the Shakespearean presentation of "Conan the Barbarian" or "Terminator" but rather "Hercules in New York and the "Streets of San Francisco", episode "Dead Lift".

To give credit where credit is due: Heino Ferch, best known for playing Albert Speer in 2002s "Downfall – Der Untergang", gives a solid performance, playing Schmelings trainer Max Machon. The rest of the cast: the people playing the fighters, Joe Louis and Richard Vogt, are all real-life boxers who have as much skill and talent as Maske – I'm talking acting, not boxing. The other actors have been assembled from German television and generally, if they were working in Hollywood, would qualify for non-speaking roles only (or perhaps a Quentin Tarantino film).

As an ex-boxer and working with ex-boxing champions, one could have hoped that at least the fight-scenes would catch a glimpse of magic. They are invariably ruined by the director's general inability. Take a look at the boxing matches in films like "Rocky" or "Raging Bull" – they are everything that the fights in "Schmeling" aren't. To give due credit, the fights are choreographed decently but the energy and drama isn't half of what Boll must have 'envisioned'.

Boll has one trait that is considered very typical German: no matter what he does, he does it with the utter seriousness. Every scene, every edit, every nuance is a desperate cry for being taken serious as a film-maker. The cries generally remain unanswered.

For anybody interested in the story of Max Schmeling and Joe Louis, I recommend the 2002 film "Joe and Max", which is – despite featuring Till Schweiger (the acting equivalent to director Boll) – the infinitely better film.

I'll give it three stars out of ten: one for Heino Ferch, one for the memory of Max Schmeling and one out of pity.

Basically, this film is about as accurate as main character could pass for what Max actually looked like.

Its like they were going for Arnold Schwarzenegger Austrian type, ... Max Schmeling simply did not look anything like that. If you are going to make a film where central focus is story of one man, least you can try to do is to have main character act, speak, walk, talk, look like actual person in question did. They utterly failed to do that here.

Second rather serious issue is that while now movie stars are treated as high society, in 1930's Germany, movie stars were seen as very low class, alongside all actors, entertainers, beggars (they were actually all called beggars because show itself would usually be free, and then after they would pass around a bucket, begging for donations). In this movie, Max's future wife, Anny Ondra, is treated like she is Marilyn Monroe. That is very far removed from what her life was in reality. Her association with Max is what actually gave her career and popularity a HUGE boost.

Film also nearly entirely avoids things like Max refusing to join Nazi Party, Max having mostly non-Germans and Jews as friends, ... he was unique sort of individual, type who probably would not have survived those times in Germany were he not seen as "SuperMan", and promoted as friend of Hitler and other higher ups of Nazi Party by media.

Really, if you are going to choose to make a historical film, about individual who should be portrayed accurately, it is really inexcusable. And film should have included far more clear explanation of how Max went from literally losing everything when war ended, to quickly making back MILLIONS inside of mere TWO YEARS, buying Coca Cola Franchise with that money and salvaging and rebuilding his image from false portrayal of him as a 'Nazi" to one closer to the truth. Man deserves better than this sad excuse for a film.

I enjoyed this movie because it related the struggles of a man who was first a good sport and a gentleman. He was a boxer but not a violent person. While that might sound like a contradiction, in his case he was a gentleman who had no hostility toward anyone unless they were in the boxing ring. Out of the ring he truly cared for people. He may actually have been a bit naive where it came to understanding the Nazi mindset. It almost cost him his life. He managed to be himself through the whole Nazi reign of terror and eventually became an asset to his homeland which was in great need of healing after the war.

The proof that he cared for others is in the fact he rescued a father and sons during the kristallnacht event. And after his death he left his entire estate to charity. It was a sizable sum as he was a notable business man with Coca-Cola in Germany. His mansion is now the embassy for the Libyan ambassador.

The acting was not on Oscar level, but that didn't ruin the movie for me. I rented the DVD for the story and it did a good job of delivering that. As someone with ancestry from Germany I take heart in the fact there were many Germans who did not support the Nazis. They are given very little notice which is to me, most unfair. My ancestors came to America in 1732, the sons married all German descent wives until my father married my Irish mother in 1945. So I have a great deal of German background.

I will confess it was the title that caught my eye at the rental place. I wanted to learn what this movie had to say about a man who became a hero to his homeland.

There was so much turmoil during Max's life. It pleases me to learn he became successful after the war. He was a thoughtful and generous man known to help others. He stayed friendly toward Joe Louis and even arranged meetings and later helped Joe get a respectful burial.

Max's clean life style and generosity toward others paid well. He lived to be a ripe old 99.

I rated this movie a 7 not due to the acting, it wasn't as bad as some suggest, but rather because it did a good job of telling the story of a man who remained true to self and did not bend to those who he knew were wrong.

German boxer Henry Maske stars in the title role of Max Schmeling the greatest fighter Germany ever produced. He died a rich and successful man in 2005 just short of his 100th birthday having been given the concession for Coca-Cola in Germany post the World War. He also married film star Anna Ondry played here by Suzanne Wuest and they had a happy if childless marriage.

Schmeling's unhappiness stemmed from two things as the film brought out. He was heavyweight champion from 1930-1932. He and Jack Sharkey were declared the top contenders in an elimination tournament . When they fought Sharkey nailed him below decks and Sharkey was disqualified on a foul This was the only time the heavyweight championship ever was won on a foul.

After one defense of the title against Young Stribling, Schmeling gave Sharkey a rematch and in a decision that the crowd thought wrong Sharkey beat him. No doubt he felt his title was tainted, but he wanted it back.

But while he campaigned for it and fought his way back into contention the Nazis came to power and Joe Goebbels saw the propaganda value of Schmeling's quest. He became quite the symbol of Aryan superiority, even more so when he knocked out leading contender Joe Louis.

But it was Louis who got the title shot anyway against champ James J. Braddock. And it was Louis who knocked Schmeling out in the first round in a title defense. It was quite the propaganda defeat for Herr Goebbels.

Schmeling was an athlete he had no real politics. He resented being touted as a symbol of Aryan supremacy. He also had a Jewish manager in Joe Jacobs played here by Vladimir Weigl who despite pressures Schmeling wouldn't get rid of him.

The war scenes are what we Yanks don't know about Schmeling. And the scenes of husband and wife with Maske and Wuest are special. In fact the story is narrated in flashback by Schmeling to a British soldier who recognized him.

This film is a nice tribute to Max Schmeling a champion in many ways.

I find it reprehensible that the prejudice against Uwe Boll disallows some so-called critics from giving his films a fair review.

This film was very nicely done, and tells an enthralling story about boxing great Max Schmeling, who was a great gentleman and human being.

Schmeling himself endorsed the film, and I found it very informative and enjoyable to watch.

Henry Maske is especially memorable in the title role. He is very sympathetic, funny, and believable. His supporting cast members are also very good.

I'm sure the film could have been better by including more details such as Schmeling's bout with Max Baer, his later friendship and support of Joe Louis, and his rise to wealth after boxing, but this film purposely is about the contrast between the real Max Schmeling and the Nazi perception of him as their Aryan warrior.

In that intent it succeeds well.

Crete, 1944, and Fallschirmjäger Max Schmeling, thought to have fallen in battle, is miraculously found alive. Told in flashback, it is the story of the rise and fall from grace of Germany's once world champion boxer.

While he was winning, he was a Nazi poster-boy (though his own political sentiments were far more prosaic and membership of the Party was never a consideration.) But having a Jewish manager very quickly became a liability, and when he eventually lost a rematch to the black American Joe Louis in 1938, the end was nigh.

This movie offers a very sympathetic portrait of a man of obvious principal, but it is poorly made and poorly cast: Henry Maske (as Max) has all the acting prowess of, well, a boxer. The fight scenes were merely probing and feinting and ducking and weaving - watch "Napola" for a model of how it should be done. And after all, this is the story of a boxer, so they could have done much more to get this right.

Furthermore, the uniforms (especially those of high-ranking political figures such as Göring, played by a Fred Nile look-alike) were abysmal fantasies.

These things jar in a movie of supposed quality, and detract significantly from whatever value the narrative may have.

(And the jacket sleeve of my copy, with not so much as a boxing glove or spittoon in sight, but rather explosions, tanks, aircraft and what appears to be a crumbling Reichstag, alludes to something other than the actual content of the movie itself.)

Could have been, should have been, much, much better.