The youth novel “Momo” of “The Infinite History” author Michael Ende, published in 1973, is one of the most successful works in German fantasy literature. The mythological struggle of an orphan girl for interpersonal solidarity and against greedy capitalism touches the nerve of readers to this day. The continued popularity of the book contributed a lot to the in 1986, sometimes kitsch and naive-looking, but still lovable and touching film adaptation with the later “jungle camp” participant Radost Bokel in the title role.
Almost 40 years later, “suburban crocodiles” director Christian Ditter is now taking a new edition. Some of his modernization attempts work, but many do not work either. The rather thoughtful tone of the template is sacrificed to a serious and hectic cut as well as some “Hollywood Light” brand. As far as the look is concerned, readers will often have problems to get the new “Momo” film with the descriptions of the novel under one roof.
With the help of the magical turtle Kassiopeia, Momo (Alexa Goodall) takes on the gray -dressed time thieves.
Momo (Alexa Goodall) lives alone in an improvised hinge in the ruins of a Roman amphitheater. But the full orphan is far from lonely. Because Momo has many friends – all people who like to spend time with the bright and sensitive girl. Momo is aware of everyone, but her favorite people are the good -natured old street sweeper Beppo (Kim Bodnia), who regularly provides Momo with food, as well as the youthful tour guide Gino (Araloyin Oshuremi), with whom she likes to electricity.
But suddenly nobody seems to have time for Momo anymore. Apparently the mysterious, all of them in gray -clad figures, which have recently appeared in the city. Momo finds out that she works for a group under the direction of Richter (Claes Bang) whose aim is to acquire the precious lifetime of all people. But nobody believes her – with the exception of the turtle Kassiopeia, who guides you to the wise master Hora (Martin Freeman) …
A flash-loving high-gloss look
Fans of the novel, who want a faithful adaptation, will have to make strong compromises. First of all, it is striking that Momo looks very different in Michael Ende's book template. With her long red mane instead of short, black strubula hair, bright blue instead of deep -dark eyes, a light jacket instead of an ankle -long coat, it is difficult to identify her directly as the title heroine at first glance. But of course such an innovation does not automatically have to be something bad – and certainly not it is the fault of the young mimin Alexa Goodall (“a gentleman in Moscow”), which is achieved with a lot of enthusiasm.
But the rest of the film look is also not really coherent: the sets built in Croatia and Slovenia all seem too sterile and tidy. Even after a big party in the Colosseum, the empty bottles, plastic bags and paper balls do not look carelessly dropped, but also draped evenly as the prop. And the street sweeper that appears at the right place at the right place in the right place at the right moment, since everything is lightning blankly before his use – as if someone else from his team had only become active in this stain for minutes before rolling the cameras.
With “Hobbit” main actor Martin Freeman, the “Momo” new film also has a real world star.
In addition, fast cuts and daring camera movements, but also time and local jumps, make the whole thing also seem hectic, occasionally even bumpy. This is deprived of “Momo” of the fairytale thoughtfulness of the novelist Michael Ende and heads the film in the direction of the crispy young adult event à la “Die Tribute von Panem”. However, the idea of the electronic radio arm bands, which the gray fieslings distribute to the city dwellers, was well implemented in order to control them and to be able to rob them of their lifetime.
It is relatively easy to see through that these smartwatches should have more than worrying dependence on smartphones or social networks. Claes Bangs (“The Square”) is also convincing of the equally intelligent and unscrupulous chief evil weight-and also the melancholy-looking appearance of Laura Haddock (“Guardians of the Galaxy”) is one of his Scherginns to the finish. It's a shame that the motifs and the procedure of the gray are only outlined quite spongy. Admittedly, this was already the case with the old film – which does not make it better here.
No new turtle boom in sight
The very important relationship from Momo to Meister Hora and the turtle he envies comes across more, sometimes less well. While the guardian of the time, embodied by “The Hobbit” star Martin Freeman, only has two or three scenes and sometimes spends them sleeping, Kassiopeia has a much more extensive appearance. Although this can not really inspire this due to mediocre CGI, this is pleasantly close to the template in terms of the plot and even receives a few suitable additions.
“Momo” will probably not lead to a boom in the demand for armored crawls in pet shops, as was published in the 1980s when the first film was released. Then the bracelets used for “remote control” seem to be much more popular among the young audience – at least after the press demonstration visited by FilmStarts, that was heard in the movie among some of the kids present.
Conclusion: The “Momo” new edition makes the cult novel and the hardly less worshiped first film adaptation into the here and now, some things are good, many others but also wrong. If you do not know the novel, after the story, which seems to be a very generic story, will probably ask yourself why millions of people actually love the book template so intimate.