Adrenalin (4 Stars)

This is a 1996 German film starring pretty boy Til Schweiger. In many ways it's similar to the Oscar nominated Austrian film "Revanche" made in 2008, except that it has more action and less emotional depth.

Til Schweiger plays the role of troubled police man Stefan Renner. His wife is killed by the gangster pair Werner and Tatjana. When he corners Werner during a bank robbery he cracks under pressure and shoots Werner after he had already surrendered. Stefan loses his job and is sent to prison for three years. When he comes out Tatjana is waiting to take revenge on him.

The film is fast moving and exciting, but it has one glaring mistake. No explanation is given why the couple killed Stefan's wife. It's not usual for criminals to kill a random police man's wife. Revenge for a foiled crime? Or maybe Stefan had previously had an affair with Tatjana? Not being told is frustrating.

Til Schweiger is both loved and hated for his looks. His blond hair and blue eyes made him a pinup for young girls when he first appeared in the German soap opera "Lindenstrasse" in 1990. When he was in his 30's, as in "Adrenalin", he had a baby face. Now that he's in his 40's he has a more rugged face, but that doesn't detract from his appeal to women. On the other hand, because of his looks many people don't take him seriously. This is unfair. He's a good actor, as this film shows. Maybe not a great actor, but better than many American actors in recent films. I won't name any names unless I'm forced to.