94- The Wave [7.0]

During a project week, high school teacher Rainer Wenger comes up with an experiment in order to explain to his students how totalitarian governments work. Within a few days, what began as harmless notions, like discipline and community, builds into a real movement.

In addition to the pressures and uncertainties that come with being a youth, there is a yearning for identification with an ideology. The Wave is an exploration of how fascism can be seductive to young, impressionable minds. It’s an interesting choice to have the film set in Germany, as the historical context of the country frames the potential of an uprising in a fascinating manner. Though some plot developments are easy to telegraph and there is a fair share of generalizations throughout, The Wave succeeds in leaving both the teacher and students accountable for their actions, thereby letting the audience view key scenes without bias.