praagsigaar Hm. I read the book as a kid (a long time ago) and was impressed back then. So no movie could ever live up to that. I've seen it in English but would probably have preferred the German version. To late now. But anyhow. The cinematography is great, the art direction is good (a bit too much 'puppet house style' for me) and the acting is OK. The story is just like I remember it. But without the magic. I do not mean wizardry, of that there's enough. But it never really got to me. Unfortunately. It might be the art direction that does not feel real enough. It might be the acting. I do not know. I need ten lines so here is the tenth line.

btfilther I am absolutely aesthetically satisfied by this film. So much out of the cliché. Great storyboard, visuals, acting and sound. It is actually a very profound film done with German precision. European film making in its best form. I haven't read the book and I don't really care about it whatsoever as in my opinion the film served its purpose. Passionate actors play combined with beautiful yet depressive atmosphere. Sadly sometimes sites like this one are doing us bad favours, we came to see medium ratings plus low voting activity and the film is lost...we never even give it a chance. Well, that one definitely proves us wrong. Bravo to all of you who took part in it.

MartinusExLullesdorp As some other previous writer I do not intend to spoil contents but nevertheless it may happen. Therefore I checked the spoiler alert. 1) I slowly but surely learn not to expect a movie being exactly like the book. So I was able to enjoy "Lord of the Rings" which I have read once every year in full for several years There are movies like "The Stand". The novel written by Steven King. I never felt more content in a movie with in-depth knowledge of the bookNow Krabat: They changed the time back to the 30 year war (No sweat) They left out scenes like the sorcerer fight "Meister" vs "Pumphutt" (to bad) They changed a real funny scene when the soldiers come to press the boys into the Prussian army to a real bad Ridley Scottisch (I have stolen this comparison) fight with too fast and bad made fighting scenes. (Very bad) They left out a visit of Krabat and the "Meister" in Dresden, which should show Krabat what power being a sorcerer would give him (unlucky) They missed the new mill wheel, which is not a big deal. There are some other thing they changed, but not to the bad.2) I expected no good, but I was driven by knowing the book and I wanted to see how they would interpret it. The movie feels like the book. Starting somewhat easy it gains a lot of tension up to the end. Although I knew what would have to happen I was gripped by it. 3) They got me with the music which was really good and fitted with a great scenery. What a landscape, what pictures. Just for that I'd go again.4) I'm no good at rating the acting but Christian Redl did an outstanding job. The Meister was just a bit too fatherly. I felt as if the boys where just fallen out of the book. The Kantorka was somewhat too maiden, not cool enough and too bodily. Tonda should have been more chiseled. (They missed him having total white hair within one day.) All in all the acting was quite persuasive.5) Music again. I was deep into the movie and still sat with a racing heart when "Allein, Allein" came up. It's like getting a load of ice cold water on a your fevered body. I never ever have been so disgusted.Conclusion: Well, a movie is a movie and as much people see it as much opinions are available.I do not expect a movie being the book. This one is well done, better than most German movies (Besides for instance you like "Das Boot". This is one VERY good movie sequel) Krabat takes you away if you allow it to. It delivers real nice landscape pictures and mostly good to very good acting and persuasive characters.If you like it philosophical, just look for other comments. There's a lot of deep thinking in this novel of Preussler and I have seldom found movies which really transport the in-depth meaning of their basic story (besides for instance "Schindlers Liste")I say: go and relish it, regardless whether you know the book. (Close your eyes through a certain fight though and your ears during the credits if you don't leave the move when credits start, like most people nowadays do)rgds

Alamarena (I will keep this as spoiler-free as I can, mostly checked the box to be on the safe side).I loved this book when I was younger (I'm in my mid-20s now) and I played the part of the "Master" in a school play one year, so I have a bit of a connection with the story and was very looking forward to seeing this movie. Overall, I have to say it was decent, but nothing to knock my socks off (7 out of 10). They did have to compress a lot of the action, and a lot of the character development suffers (Krabat's evolving from ambitious prize student to somewhat suspicious to doing his own thing), though this is always a problem with book adaptations and not generally something I blame them for. I do have issues with parts of the story that are outright changed, but not necessarily for the better. While I go back and forth on the showdown scene, the previously mentioned "soldiers" scene is absolutely terrible. As a suggestion, the events that lead to Tonda's having gray hair could have been covered in a brief flashback (they don't actually occur during Krabat's time at the mill, anyway), and made room for something else. The acting is very good, especially on the parts of Brühl and Redl; the main character is a bit annoying (he goes from blank-faced boy to angry rebel, skipping the more insightful aspects of Krabat's character -and one of his lines towards the end of the movie was so cheesy I wanted to punch him for it). Scenery and music were nice if a bit Lord of the Rings-esquire (the "Gevatter" was totally a Ringwraith before he turned into Emperor Palpatine and the Kantorka had some initial backup from Enya it seemed), though I'll have to agree on the cliché medieval fantasy bit (especially the bad teeth looked fake). I would not recommend this movie for people who have not read and enjoyed the book, but for those who have, it's quite worthwhile to see, despite all.