Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #45678 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-05-24
• Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Anamorphic, PAL
• Original language: English, German, Japanese
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 105 minutes

Customer Reviews

Tattoo leaves an indelible mark
Tattoo (2002)
Robert Schwentke's dark and atmospheric thriller centres on fledgling cop Marc Schrader (August Diehl), who goes to an illegal rave carrying drugs one night. When the police raid, instead of just dumping his gear on the floor, he tries to slip away, but brooding veteran cop Detective Minks (Christian Redl) is already on to him. He catches up with Marc and faces him down with an ultimatum - join forces or be kicked out of the force. Marc takes the first option, and Marc finds himself squirming under his thumb as the pair unite. Their mission? To track down Micks' missing daughter, as well as trailing a dangerous serial killer who is collecting the tattooed skins of his victims. If ever there was a reason not to have a tattoo, here it is folks. What unravels before them, is a blood-spattered romp through seamy tattoo parlours, public conveniences, sewers and twilight underworld of Germany, with meticulous cinematography in the vein of Se7en and Blade Runner. Actually, the dynamics of this movie are so reminiscent of Se7en, perhaps it should have been called Ei8ht? That's not the criticism it might seem however, as I actually preferred this grittier crime-noir. Tattoo's stylishly seedy visuals punctuated by grisly discoveries certainly make for absorbing, and at times visceral viewing. Like a tattooist's needle, Tattoo will not only get under your skin - but also leave an indelible mark. This Tartan Video release is presented in Widescreen, with an exclusive interview with Schwentke among the extras. German with English subtitles.

Not just a rip off of Seven!
This is an excellent film. Many people have just called it the "German Seven" but it is still good in it's own right.
The ending is slightly predictable but if you enjoy dark, brooding thrillers and world cinema then I would definately recommend this film.
Another reason to watch is for the awesome tattoos in the film.

Obsession is Only Skin-Deep
"Tattoo" is an exercise in Expressionist film-making proclaims director Robert Schwentke and you should keep that in mind while watching the movie; otherwise you might be bitterly disappointed. Superficially a thriller, though concepted as a horror film by Schwentke, this dark and brooding tale delves into the sometimes murky world of body art and especially the very disturbing world of its collectors. But the rave scene at the beginning, where slow-motion dance movements are set jarringly to the almost elegic soundtrack, is a clear indicator that this is no realistic take on the story. Brilliantly chosen, unique views of Berlin are the backdrop for the individual, yet interlinking obsessions of the central characters. The images are breathtaking; easily the best cinematography coming out of Germany since the times of the great Expressionists. But ... but in the end it all remains empty. Which quite possibly is the "message" of this film. Though, actually, there is no "message".

"Tattoo" frequently has been compared to "Se7en" and, yes, there are similarities, especially in the stark, dark visual style of both movies. But that's about as far as the similarity goes. While Fincher uses the hellish visions of his film to turn a perfectly straight-forward, suspenseful murder-hunt thriller into a study about the fallibilities of modern life and the ever encroaching darkness surrounding each individual, Schwentke ultimately (and quite literally) loses the plot amidst his amazing visual set-pieces. Characters which start out as quirky, strange and intriguing eventually end up as the usual cliches. The murderer could not be more obvious if he/she had "crazed villain" tattooed on the forehead. Schwentke might claim that all this doesn't matter because the whole murder-hunt scenario is only incidental to the film. But without ever going under the skin of the characters, the film itself never gets under the viewer's skin. The images are disturbing but lack the nightmarish, Jungean quality of the works of German cinema's original Expressionists. If Schwentke had clung less to the Expressionist's theories and had instead tried to understand what actually made their films work, he might have been on to a true masterpiece. As it stands, "Tattoo" is a superb visual treat but definitely no classic.

Picture and sound quality of this DVD release are first-rate. The subtitles are good and truthful to the original dialogue. There are almost no extras but the interview with Robert Schwentke is excellent and probably more informative than any "director's commentary" could be.