Review of Labyrinth of Lies (2014) by Nick C — 29 Nov 2015

Labyrinth of Lies, Germany's Oscar Foreign Film entry, is based on the true story of a young public prosecutor attempting to bring to justice former SS soldiers working at Auschwitz death camp. By 1958, when the story opens, the German public's memories of Nazi atrocities are fading fast.

Young people claim not to recognize the name "Auschwitz." After a former Auschwitz prisoner comes face-to-face with the camp's former commandant, he fails to interest prosecutors in indicting him for murder, either because the job is too daunting or because of their own murky pasts.

The young Johann Redmann (Alexander Fehling), now in charge of the prosecution, starts plowing through thousands of personnel files. The task almost overwhelms him as he is also thwarted by lack of cooperation and hostility.

I would have liked to root for his success but Redmann's character lacks depth and never fully engaged me.