It started as an innocent game. Two schoolteachers, one of whom teaches democracy and the other autocracy, wants to persuade the other that his views are right, and to do so, the autocracy teacher Rainer Wenger engages his class in an experiment. But one thing leads to another and the situation quickly gets out of hand. An organization called the Wave is formed. As it takes on one totalitarian hallmark after another, its members morph into obedient soldiers who give everyone else two options - you're either with us or you're against us.

THE WAVE gives us a look at how totalitarianism is born, grows and gains adherents. In addition to the obvious parallels to Hitler's national socialism, the film shows very well how fascism can employ the contemporary language of symbols - graffiti and music - and wield them very successfully indeed. Told with a certain German precision, the story is slightly reminiscent of another German film from a few years ago, "Experiment". The idea is the same: in the right conditions under the right system, anyone can become a monster.

Tristan Priimägi