The Last Execution Nahschuss - Film Review German Film Festival 2022

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Tue 24 May 2022 - Wed 22 Jun 2022

The Last Execution (Nahschuss) - Film Review (German Film Festival 2022)

Scientist Franz Walter (Lars Eidinger) is preparing to leave for Africa when he is promised a plum university post. But in the meantime, the East German government would like Franz to come and work for the state's intelligence service. The job has its perks: a new office, a new flat and the chance to travel for work. Franz accedes, and invites his girlfriend Corina (Luise Heyer) to come and live with him.



Franz's first assignment at work involves a star football player named Horst Langfeld. Horst has packed up and defected to West Germany, signing with a club in Hamburg. The act has prompted near delirium within the East German state, and Franz and his colleagues are tasked with immediately retrieving Horst. Franz, an amateur soccer player with connections still to the sport, goes to work and soon paints a way to rouse Horst.

It involves a trip to the West though, and Franz can't go as he's unmarried (he learns this from his boss, a rather menacing-looking agent named Dirk). Franz remedies this by marrying Corina. The ceremony is attended mainly by fellow Stasi operatives, much to the consternation of Franz's parents. But Franz is dedicated to his work and country and declares himself part of the family of the intelligence service.

In West Germany the tawdry plan to get the footballer back on home soil is activated and Franz gets into some pretty murky moral territory immediately. The ploy involves blackmailing Horst's teammate and spreading horrible lies about Horst's wife, who has remained back East. This invites a whole set of unintended consequences and Franz soon realises he hasn't got the stomach for it. But he just can't turn in his resignation letter and wish everyone luck. Getting out means getting out of East Germany.



Based on the real-life story of engineer Werner Teske, who was the last East German citizen to be executed, The Last Execution is a capable period piece, ably acted and structured interestingly. Much falls on Lars Eidinger's shoulders and he is excellent as the sharp mind only too happy to serve his country. That it's all headed for disaster isn't in question (for us at least: segments of Franz's treason trial are interspersed throughout the film). What's fascinating is seeing Franz's initial naivety turning to incredulity as he realises how truly and utterly messed up his country is.

The Last Execution does best when exposing the absurd mechanics inside the Stasi. It's a tense and sober story, injustices scattered carelessly all over the place. The film could possibly have offered more flair, there's little ambiguity when it comes to the main characters (with the notable exception of Franz himself), and some of the dialogue is exactly what you'd expect. But the film remains worthwhile, offering a dark tale, exposing a dark time in history.



The Last Execution (Nahschuss) is screening as part of the German Film Festival which runs May-June. See www.germanfilmfestival.com.au for details.

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!date 24/05/2022 -- 22/06/2022
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