Review of Berlin Syndrome (2017) by K Nife C — 27 May 2017

Theresa Palmer is no stranger to this genre of psychological horror, but "Berlin Syndrome" is the first time she truly shines and shows off her range as an actress. She portrays an Australian photographer who has just come to Berlin on a backpacking trip through Europe.

There is a dreamlike pall that follows her through the film, a feeling not too dissimilar from the works of Harmony Korine or Sophia Coppola. After an erotic encounter with a handsome German schoolteacher, she finds her self locked in his apartment.

Whether by accident or on purpose isn't clear at first, but she quickly comes to find out that he has plans to keep her in his isolated domicile indefinitely. You know the setup, so you probably won't be very surprised by how the plot plays out.

What is surprising is how incredibly tense the film stays throughout its two hour run-time. You feel the claustrophobia of the surroundings, and the scariest part is watching Palmer's character lose her sanity, vacillating between the classic Stockholm syndrome and her desperate attempts to escape her dire situation.

Her captor, played by Max Riemelt, is a bit one-note and hardly inspires much sympathy, but his coldness elevates the anxiety of the film. Director Cate Shortland hasn't exactly broke the mold with this one, but compared to many of the other early releases of this summer it is an outstanding selection and a cut above most horror fare.