Using co-screenwriter Martin Prinz’ novel as a starting point, German director Benjamin Heisenberg’s The Robber is based on the true story of Johann Kastenberger—the filmmakers have changed his last name to Rettenberger—a successful marathoner who robbed several Austrian banks in the late 1980s wearing a Ronald Reagan mask and wielding a pump-action shotgun. As such, the press has given him the appropriate moniker of “Shotgun Ronnie.”
As the film opens, Johann (Andreas Lust) is doing time for another robbery. Running laps in the prison yard, it’s immediately obvious that Johann is a loner, purposely separating himself from the other men. While the other inmates smoke and shoot the breeze together, he spends hours alone in his cell jogging in place on a treadmill. His face is emotionless, yet focused. Hard time doesn’t seem to bother him; it simply means he can devote his days to training.
Upon Johann’s release, his parole officer (Markus Schleinzer) advises him not to fall back into old life, while cautioning him that he won’t be able to make much of a living as a runner. Johann has no use for such advice. As soon as he’s free, he steals a car, robs a bank, and promptly wins first place in the Vienna Marathon, beating out 30,000 other runners and netting a sizable cash prize. Why he feels the need to jeopardize his freedom is never made explicitly clear, though Heisenberg does drop some hints that Johann is no longer capable of achieving a “runner’s high.” Perhaps the only way he can get any kind of real adrenaline rush is through the act of robbing a bank. Even if that’s the case, that explanation seems far to simplistic for such a serious problem.
It definitely not the money that drives Johann; he holds up several banks over the course of the film and after each heist he empties the stolen cash into a trash bag—this seems symbolic—the money doesn’t mean very much; it’s the act of obtaining it that matters. We never see him even count his money, let alone spend it. He lives frugally in a room rented from Erika (Franziska Weisz), a former acquaintance he just happened to see at an employment center. There’s sexual tension between the two of them, though their eventual physical relationship is taciturn and cold—Johann is simply unable to be truly intimate with anyone.
It should be noted that the camerawork is pretty impressive. There are several thrilling chase sequences. When Johann is running for his life, as opposed to just running for its own sake, you can feel the energy in the scene. He runs through city streets, vaults over fences and through maze like hallways with the precision of a gazelle. The one negative is that, because we don’t really know Johann, we watch all of this with a sense of detachment, rather than really caring about what happens to him. Nevertheless, the action scenes definitely provide a surreal thrill not often seen in typical Hollywood fare.
Presented in the 2.35:1 aspect ratio, this 1080p transfer has many dark interiors. Thankfully, those blacks stay strong and solid, as does all of the rest of the film’s muted palette. Kino has delivered a fine transfer.
The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack offers full sound, delivering everything from hushed dialogue and ambient- sound-scored silences to loud gunshots, car motors and Lorenz Dangel’s score with absolute clarity.
English subtitles are available.
Special features are limited to a stills gallery with a 24 photos, and high definition trailers for The Robber, City of Life and Death, Armadillo, Korkoro, and Army of Crime.
