Horst in Translation ([email protected]) "205 - Zimmer der Angst" is first of all a German German-language movie from 2011, so this one had its 5th anniversary last year. There are more than just a few alternate titles for this one here, even if we are only going for those in the German or English language. These would be "Room 205", "205: Room of Fear", "Zimmer 205", "Zimmer 205 - Traust du dich rein?" and "Das erste Semester". This film that runs for slightly over 100 minutes is a remake of the more known Danish movie "Kollegiet" from 2007. And looking at the IMDb rating of that one, I am a bit surprised they chose to remake it. Anyway, I don't know if this German film here is any better, but it is certainly not good. The last title I listed shows you already that it is about a young woman who enters a university to study psychology. But something is very wrong with her dorm room and it seems to be all about the girl who lived there before her. A big part of the film's mystery and thriller component is about the audience never knowing if there are supernatural forces in here or it's just other students doing creepy stuff to the protagonist. It's just a prank bro!This film is one of the more recent works by director Rainer Matsutani, actually his most recent big screen release before focusing mostly on small screen projects. The one who adapted the work by the original film script of Jannik Tai Mosholt is Eckhard Vollmar and it is definitely one of his most known efforts. Vollmar wrote another film one year later and since then he has not been busy in film anymore. I cannot say this is too much of a loss as I must say the script here was maybe the biggest disappointment. The film never scares or entertains unfortunately to an extent where it would have been a satisfying watch. Just one example. The scene when she talks to the hacker and we are supposed to believe he is basically the only one she can trust and she tells him all about the diary etc. and with the questions he asks it is so obvious there is not just good to him. Anyway, to end the review on a positive note, I liked the transformation from dorm room to psychiatry ward at the very end, even if it may have been one plot twist too many. This was nicely done with the effects. Also I'd have liked to see André Hennicke more often in here. Jennifer Ulrich (and the rest of the younger cast) are really more about good looks than about strong performances really, but as it is a horror film that lives (or should live) through the story, it is fine and honestly Ulrich is also better than in some other films I guess. But as a whole, it is just not enough to really work unfortunately. The atmospheric moments are not enough in terms of both quality and quantity and then the movie also goes for cheap jump scares in crucial scenes and moments. I give this film a thumbs-down. Don't watch.

kosmasp A German attempt at supernatural horror stories and not as bad as I actually thought it would be. Lead performance is more than solid (which was to be expected by the actress), but the story itself is, while predictable and by the numbers, also very intriguing to a point. You will get things you expect (fake scares, a scary sex scene with nudity and other stuff), but there is also a nice little twist.Scares are good and entertaining enough, if you can and want to call them that. And the ending is really nicely done. There is no reasoning of course and you can find a lot of plot holes, by not even digging too far (no pun intended), but you'd rob yourself of a good time, with a really decent horror movie

AgentSniff I had the pleasure of seeing this film at German Films Go North in Stockholm 2011 in 35 mm.Some of the scares in the film are pretty tame, some clishé, some effective. The effects are not much to hang in a Christmas tree and the ghost looks terrible. The two things that make this film worthwhile is 1; the screenplay and 2: Jennifer Ulrich. Jennifer Ulrich is freaking amazing in this film and after seeing this film, Die Welle and Wir Sind Die Nacht she is now my favorite actress. She give everything to her role and it pays of. She is the force that keeps the film going. That said I must comment on the other actors. Tino Mewes was OK, not the greatest actor around and his part was not too interesting but he was not bad in any way. Daniel Roesner was pretty terrible, it does not help that he looks and behaves like a douche. Marleen Lohse was just annoying. I found Inez Bjørg David as being pretty good and André Hennicke extraordinary sympathetic as the cop Urban. Julia Dietze of Iron Sky plays the ghost but is only in the movie for a limited amount of time in the film when she is not a special effect but she is almost as good as Jennifer Ulrich in her few scenes.The script is pretty clever and sets up twists and turns but makes sure to set them up and that they perfect sense when we come closer to the end of the film. The ending is amazingI don't know if this film will ever come to Sweden again but I will sure watch it in cinema again and buy the DVD.

Kaya Ozkaracalar I've read that this is a remake of a recent Danish film which itself has been criticized for borrowing too much from Japanese Ringu. I haven't watched the Danish version, but yes, this German remake also carries unmistakable nods to Ringu, not only regarding the ghost, but even more so in the setting of its climax. Actually, restless female ghost motif is not obviously unique to Ringu, but the setting of the climax is clearly derived from Ringu. Having acknowledged this, 205 - Zimmer der Angst is nevertheless a pretty well-made and effective horror outing which cannot be reduced to being a Ringu rip-off. The first two-thirds of the movie does not have much chills but is very engaging as we follow the trials and tribunals of the female lead (played very successfully by a young actress). The last third carries a few quite scary scenes. Overall, thumbs up for this rare German effort at horror. By the way, the movie actually carries some nods to Suspiria as well as Ringu.