The Privilege is a 2022 horror film about a teen and his friends investigating strange supernatural events at an elite private school. Unfortunately, they uncover a dark conspiracy.
Directed by Felix Fuchssteiner and Katharina Schöde from a screenplay co-written with Sebastian Niemann. Produced by Markus Zimmer.
The German Bavaria Fiction production stars Max Schimmelpfennig, Lise Risom Olsen, Caroline Hartig, Nadeshda Brennicke, Mike Hoffmann, Janina Agnes Schröder
Plot:
Years after his sister Anna’s tragic death, eighteen-year-old Finn (Max Schimmelpfennig) is increasingly haunted by nightmares and demonic visions. What his family dismisses as psychotic breakdowns due to childhood trauma feels ever more real to him.
As horrific events around him begin to escalate, he can no longer pretend that it’s all just in his head. Together with his best friend Lena (Lea van Acken), he tries to uncover the terrible secret that lies in his past and behind the seemingly inconspicuous facade of his family…
Mini review:
Some rather obvious clichés and plot holes notwithstanding the cast perform well and good production values make this an easy brain dead watch. It’s schlocky for sure and aimed at a younger audience but the strong opening will also draw in most older horror fans who might stay for how the “weird shit” plays out.
The Privilege is tacky nonsense that should raise a wry smile even if it doesn’t horrify as intended. Curiously, the real-life soulless modern architecture that forms the backdrop is more disturbing than anything in the plot.
Adrian J Smith, MOVIES & MANIA
Other reviews:
“Sadly, for a horror film it’s just not that scary. It has a few unsettling moments and a good amount of tension at points, but there’s no genuine fear. It feels like it’s stuck between a teen horror and a full-on horror film […] While it’s not the scariest film ever, The Privilege does have a great mystery and it’s never boring. It’s entertaining and keeps you guessing enough to make it worth watching.” 3.5/5, Ashley Manning
“This is the kind of movie that doesn’t have plot holes, it has plot holes […] The primary plot arc is so moronic and desultory, so it’s hard to summarize, but it has something to do with gaslighting teens. I think the movie is trying to gaslight us into thinking it’s watchable.” Decider
” …what we have is simply a movie of wasted potential, confusing genre tonality, body horror, social commentary, and supernatural cheap thrills, but delivering on neither of these promises and falling with a resounding thud.” Digital Mafia Talkies
“The simple premise of teen horror almost immediately turns into the confusion of those who don’t seem to know what he wants to tell, alternating mediocre scenes with others that are boring or, worse still, sad. The technical sector adapts to the narrative level, between an unexpressive acting and a dull and colorless photography.” 2.5/5 Filmy Hype
” …these characters are not well-written. However, this is mostly due to the story being very forced in many ways. This, in turn, requires the characters to do and say things that feel odd or off. To be blunt, it feels like teens (or young adults) written by grown-ups who don’t actually bother to interact with anyone in this particular age group.” 2/5 Heaven of Horror
“The amalgamation of these different cues from horror cinema that the filmmakers feel will help its mojo only gives way to disappointment and confusion. The Privilege does not stand up even as a one-time watch in my opinion. It is too distant from what it really wants to be that any inputs from your side will make the experience an unpleasant one.” 1.5/5 High on Films
“It has enough bloodshed, gory, black magic talks, and many bad guys. But none of them is used in full potential to appreciate the interesting premise. It would’ve definitely worked better as a mini-series as we would get a detailed version of the story and all the answers in a better way.” 2.5/5 Leisure Byte
“The Privilege is great horror/thriller movie that will keep you at the edge of your seats. It is suspenseful, scary and magnificently eerie. It also gives an impression of the world where we are too much dependant on medicines and these medicines are turning us into something else. Now, that’s really scary.” Meaww
“The Privilege is a too-predictable German mashup of a couple of horror genres and several paranoid thrillers, all underscored by the big idea in Jordan Peele’s Get Out […] The leads are game enough, with van Acken having the “fun role” and Schimmelpfennig forced to do the suffering, investigating and heavy-lifting. Nobody else makes much of an impression beyond the tropes and archetypes they were hired to be.” 1.5/4 Movie Nation
“Honestly, it’s bonkers what the makers have packed into the film! Not everything makes total sense and a teenage audience may be more forgiving to some of the questioning plots. Regardless of that, the film is very entertaining. Something is always around the corner, and it’s fun to see where the film takes the audience.” 3/5, Ready Steady Cut
“The strong opener and a couple of gnarly moments may be enough to reel you in but unfortunately aren’t enough to keep this one as a very memorable horror flick for long. With a few more rewrites and stronger editing this could have been a really solid flick but unfortunately what we get is a horror hodgepodge that’ll leave you hungry for more.” 3.5/10 The Review Geek
Release:
The Privilege is currently streaming worldwide on Netflix.
Technical details:
1 hour 47 minutes
Audio: German with English subtitles | English dubbed
Original title:
Das Privileg: Die Auserwählten
Trailer:
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