Film Review: UNDINE
Paula Beer as “Undine” in Christian Petzold’s UNDINE. Courtesy of IFC Films. An IFC Fi
Written by: Belle McIntyre
UNDINE (2021) DIR. CHRISTIAN PETZOLD
Based on a European mythological figure, Undine (sometimes spelled Ondine), is a water nymph who becomes human when a man falls in love with her. However, according to legend, she is doomed to return to the water if he is unfaithful to her and she is obliged to kill him. Some allegorical reference to this little-known figure of fable would have helped make sense of the actions of this present-day Undine.
Paula Beer as “Undine” in Christian Petzold’s UNDINE. Courtesy of IFC Films. An IFC Films Release.
Undine (Paula Beer), an attractive and knowledgeable architectural historian, conducts tours at the City Museum in Berlin, focused on architectural models which illustrate the urban development of Berlin, a city constructed on marshlands. In the opening scene she is having a cappuccino with her boyfriend, Johannes (Jacob Matschenz) who is telling her he has met someone else and is leaving her. Her response is intensely calm and chilling: “If you leave me, I’ll have to kill you” Unclear whether Johannes believes her or is party to the guiding mythology.
Paula Beer as “Undine” and Franz Rogowski as “Christoph” in Christian Petzold’s UNDINE. Courtesy of IFC Films. An IFC Fi
A short time later, Undine meets Christophe (Franz Rogowski), an industrial diver working on some of the city’s older layers which lie underwater. Their meeting has a dramatic and watery event, which foreshadows events to come. At any rate, they establish an intensely passionate relationship, which seems to forestall her ominous words to Johannes. The chemistry between Beer and Rogowski was first evident in Petzold’s earlier film Transit. There is much gorgeous underwater filming, some based on Christophe’s work, and some which refers to Undine’s origin story. The imperatives of Undine’s mythology seem to have been obviated by the love of Christophe.
Franz Rogowski as “Christoph” and Paula Beer as “Undine” in Christian Petzold’s UNDINE. Courtesy of IFC Films. An IFC Fi
Alas, the tragic accident of Christophe seems to be the catalyst for the preordained actions of Undine to kick-in, although things are murky and mysterious. There are not any clear-cut causalities, it really makes sense to just go along with the flow and not to question actions which may or may not be based in the supernatural. The gorgeous cinematography by longtime collaborator Hans Fromm makes the mystery visually enjoyable enough to follow without questioning. The characters are sensitively-enough portrayed to leave some haunting images which give this ethereal piece of work more weight than it seems to have at first. Beer won Best Actress at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival for this role. She is imminently watchable as a delicate otherworldly creature who provides a dynamic counterpoint to Rogowski, who has the dark magnetism of Joaquin Phoenix.
(Available on IFC.com)
