The mixture of The Iron Claw and some racing film does sound a bit interesting. However, like most good spices, it is not inevitable that they will work together, and a film like Sixty Minutes does spark that debate.
The German film works on a new concept, but there lies the question: how successful is it?
Now, don’t enlist it as one more action film in the market, as this just doesn’t focus on the fighting part of the events.
The film starts with some stoic shots of a fighter who can probably take down an army. He is seen writing on a birthday card, embracing the ‘soft’ side of humans.
Octavio Bergmann, an MMA fighter in Berlin, faces a moral dilemma as his daughter’s birthday clashes with a crucial fight. With a one-hour ultimatum from his ex-wife, Octavio must choose between family and career, leading to unforeseen consequences for those involved in the high-stakes fight amid the chaos of rush hour in Berlin.
Now, the race against time is always fun, and the adrenaline rush is always a positive thing for such a film. The shorter runtime also works in favour of the film.
Also, for those who aren’t really acquainted with the roads of Berlin (most of us), the makers update us with a map, which is definitely annoying once in a while. However, the more annoying thing is the constant clock update.
The colour palette of the film is also similar to universal action films—bright. Even the adrenaline scenes work out for the betterment and sort of makeup for the fumbling plot.
Could it have been better? Obviously, but a nice attempt nonetheless. The IMDb rating is sort of scary at 5.6, and Rotten Tomatoes’ audience is somewhat kind to the film, with 83%. The film is currently streaming on Netflix from 19th January but received some underwhelming response.