Der Tiger AKA The Tank (2025)
On the Eastern Front in 1943, a German Tiger tank crew led by Lieutenant Philip Gerkens (David Schütter) is sent on a mission to rescue the missing officer Paul von Hardenburg (Tilman Strauss) from a top-secret bunker that is at risk of falling into enemy hands. As they make their way through an eerie no-man’s land, they have to avoid Russian armoured vehicles that seem to be aware of their mission. They also encounter a German unit taking punitive action against a peasant village, in reprisal for partisan activity in the area. The youngest crew member, Michel (Yoran Leicher), talks of the land being home to ghosts and spirits. As the tank penetrates further into contested territory the crew become increasingly disturbed by the uncanny nature of their mission and begin to fall prey to their own inner fears.
On the Eastern Front in 1943, a German Tiger tank crew led by Lieutenant Philip Gerkens (David Schütter) is sent on a mission to rescue the missing officer Paul von Hardenburg (Tilman Strauss) from a top-secret bunker that is at risk of falling into enemy hands. As they make their way through an eerie no-man’s land, they have to avoid Russian armoured vehicles that seem to be aware of their mission. They also encounter a German unit taking punitive action against a peasant village, in reprisal for partisan activity in the area. The youngest crew member, Michel (Yoran Leicher), talks of the land being home to ghosts and spirits. As the tank penetrates further into contested territory the crew become increasingly disturbed by the uncanny nature of their mission and begin to fall prey to their own inner fears.
If you watch Der Tiger AKA The Tank expecting to see a film similar to Fury, then you’ll possibly be disappointed. This is not a traditional war film and it doesn’t take long for the story to stray out of one genre and into another. Perhaps the marketing for this film should have been more specific and indicated that it wasn’t just the wartime story of a Tiger tank crew but something a little more “horror adjacent”. That being said, there is much to like about the film and its production. It is beautifully shot by cinematographer, Carlo Jelavic, who imbues a great deal of atmosphere with evocative lighting. The visual effects both physical and CGI are well realised with the Tiger tank being very plausible. The central performances by the actors portraying the five man crew members are strong. Plus, it is always interesting to see WWII from a perspective other than the Allies.
Yet despite so many good elements, director Dennis Gansel, plays his hand too early in the proceedings tipping off astute viewers as to where the film is really heading. To discuss this in-depth would be a spoiler so I shall not go into further detail. As for those who miss this clue, they run the risk of being disappointed in the climax of the third act when the plot takes a radical change. It’s odd that such a clumsy clue was given and I wonder if it was something imposed upon the production by Amazon Studios. Some streaming companies have a policy to accommodate viewers whose attention is divided between watching TV and their smartphone. Whether that is the case here, remains to be seen. However if it is, then it is a sad indictment of contemporary audiences.
As it stands, Der Tiger is a well made exploration not only of the horrors of war but of being lost in grief. The action scenes are tense and well handled, including an interesting encounter with a Soviet SU-100 tank destroyer. The replica Tiger I is in fact a modified T-55 chassis with an aluminium shell built over it. Overall it is very convincing. The story follows a three act arc, starting as a WWII drama, then transitioning into a homage to Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. The third act is bold and its credibility ultimately comes down to whether the viewer wishes to maintain their suspension of disbelief and go with the story or not. Some critics have compared Der Tiger with the 2012 Russian film, White Tiger. I would argue that is not a fair comparison because the latter makes it clear that it is a parable right from the start. I enjoyed Der Tiger but recognise that it may not be for everyone.
