DVD_Connoisseur "Tattoo" is a first class macabre psychological horror movie / thriller from director Robert Schwentke. From the start, its cold colour palette and distanced camera-work create a dark and sinister atmosphere. Nightclub life in the world of "Tattoo" appears depressing and emotionless. This is a world where there is little laughter, only pain.Schwentke manages to create an on-screen world where the fantastic events of this tale seem believable. Inspired by the German expressionist movement, it's a fantastic achievement and although comparisons will always be made with Fincher's "Se7en", I think "Tattoo" is the superior film.The cast are excellent. August Diehl plays the young cop who is blackmailed into joining Christian Redl on the grittier side of police work. Diehl's first case is the murder of a young woman who was into self-mutilation and who died shortly after biting off a man's finger...and swallowing it. The beautiful Nadeshda Brennicke plays Maya Kroner whose secrets take the story in an exciting and unpredictable direction.While the subject of people being murdered for their tattoos is not new (Roald Dahl's short-story "Skin" covers the same ground), the film's plot is gripping and effectively told.After viewing this film shortly after "Antikörper" and "Kontroll," it would appear that some of the best psychological horror films of the noughties are coming out of Europe. Rich on atmosphere and slightly other-worldly, these films are a delight to watch.9 out of 10.

Mana-Rayne Ash Such an amazingly shot movie.The actors were great, and lets admit it, Maya is gorgeous.I rented this from a small rental place here in Edmonton called The Lobby, that rents all sorts of cult films.Seriously a great watch. Probably only good for one watch, but worth it.the artwork was gorgeous as well. anyone who likes body art will think they're great, and then hide them a little more.If you get the chance to watch this I totally suggest it. A great gate way into horror films in Germany.Witty characters with startling depth, decent writing, GREAT acting, and wonderful set effects. keep an eye out for this great movie.

dbdumonteil It was too late!If there had not been "silence of the lambs", "seven",this German flick could have had its day.But it tries too hard to be like the American relatives and it cannot be compared with them.It seems that in Europa only Spanish Amenabar was able to transcend his models.Not that "tattoo" is devoid of good scenes.The rain falling over Maya's body ,revealing her impressive tattoos ,is a great moment ,both erotic and unsettling;the lawyer and his awful collection provides the movie with another strong sequence.But ,with its "open" ending,à la "silence of the lambs" (which goal is,obviously to make an eventual sequel,"Tattoo" tries too hard and it's finally its downfall.A curio.

Ebonsun Though this movie does have more than passing similarities to David Fincher's SE7EN, I feel that comparing the two is unfair and, in my opinion, downright unwise. It is true that TATTOO unfolds in an ever rainy cityscape; follows the lives of two police detectives (with a vast generation and experience gap) while they chase a killer. And yes, it plays its drama out amidst a seedy German underworldHowever, what transpires amidst this spectacularly visualized tapestry full of rave parties, torture chambers, skin rooms, and body modification cliques willing to sell the tattoos off their body for quick cash, is vastly different in tone and theme from Fincher's 'who done it, and why' police procedural. Here the characters are not shown as black and white, but rather in shades of gray. Their lives, their dilemmas, are the real story. Even the reasons for the killings are presented in such a way that makes you understand, if not empathize, with those that a standard Hollywood picture would casually demonize. This element of moral ambiguity, under the remarkably controlled direction of Schwentke, creates a dark, cold, and subtly stylized world, that surprisingly plays as very very real. It is encouraging to see a European film with the refined sensibility of European cinema combined so adeptly with a genre so intrinsically American. It is also hard to believe that this is Schwentke's directorial debut. (I for one will keep my eye on him.)It's a remarkable film, and I certainly hope it blows the doors open for other genre films shot in Germany, and in Europe as a whole. Not since viewing Spoorloos (The Vanishing) have I been so impressed. If you have a chance, don't hesitate to catch it on the big screen. It's gorgeous, it's ballsy, and it's worth it.