The Crocodile Gang – Vorstadt Crocodile (2009)

Directed by: Christian Ditter | 98 minutes | adventure, family | Actors: Nick Romeo Reimann, Fabian Halbig, Leonie Tepe, Manuel Steitz, David Hürten, Javidan Imani, Robin Walter, Nicolas Schinseck, Nora Tschirner, Maria Schrader, Smudo, Jacob Matschenz, Axel Stein, Oktay Özdemir, Marina Hambuch, Heiner Beeker, Achim Bauer, Klaus Neugebauer, Christoph Blum, Horst Neugebauer, Oliver Zentgraf, Martin Semmelrogge, Ralf Richter, Olli Briesch

Incited by the group of children downstairs, ten-year-old Hannes (Nick Romeo Reimann) climbs a rickety staircase onto the roof of an abandoned factory, risking his own life. He’s willing to give a lot to be included in the Crocodile Gang, so he’s not afraid of this hazing. Although… if he doesn’t pay attention for a moment, things almost go wrong. Fortunately, Kai (Fabian Halbig) sees the incident happening a little further from his bedroom window. He immediately calls 911. The fire brigade arrived just in time to get Hannes safely off the roof. When he later goes to thank his rescuer, he sees that Kai is in a wheelchair because of a paralysis. Like Hannes, Kai would also like to be part of the Crocodile Gang. In any case, they cannot ignore his heroic deeds. But most gang members don’t want a boy in a wheelchair. He can’t even skateboard or mountain bike, what good is him!?

‘The crocodile gang’ (‘Vorstadtkrokodile’, 2009) by director Christian Ditter received both the audience award and the MovieSquad Junior Award during Cinekid 2009. Those prizes are certainly not stolen, because this German film is particularly entertaining for young and old. Hannes and his friends have exciting adventures when they discover that a gang of burglars is active in the city. A gang that targets, among other things, Hannes’ mother’s shop. When it turns out that Kai has caught them through his telescope late at night, the ‘Crocodiles’ are curious about what he has to say. Friendship, loyalty and acceptance are central themes in this film. Kai isn’t the only misfit in the club. For example, the chubby Frank (David Hürten) has to deal with an alcoholic father and an aggressive older brother, Peter (Robin Walter) stutters and is quite scared, the quiet Elvis (Nicolas Schinseck) prefers to crawl into his headphones and Jorgo (Javidan Imani ) is ‘different’ because of its Greek origin. The toughest of the bunch is Maria (Leonie Tepe), but she’s a girl. Her brother Ollie (Manuel Steitz) is the leader of the group, but she dares to contradict him if she has to. And Hannes, together with his single young mother, tries to keep their heads above water.

‘The Crocodile Gang’ is based on a book by Max von der Grün, which dates from 1976 but is still very popular among German-speaking youth. The story and the characters are very recognizable for children (cliches are not avoided, but in no way disturbing), the adventures that the heroes experience appeal to the imagination and are ideal for an exciting youth film. The pursuits by bicycle and wheelchair are shown in a flashy and dynamic way, accompanied by matching music. The best thing, however, is ‘The Crocodile Gang’ in the interaction between the kids. Sometimes they are tough and mean – Kai in particular has to suffer initially – but in the end they appear to appreciate each other. The child stars perform well, with young Nick Romeo Reimann leading the way. Well, a few are guilty of overacting, but not to the extent that it becomes annoying. It takes some getting used to the loud and busy music, which is occasionally very dominant to enhance the action scenes.

The best youth films have been coming from Europe for years. Scandinavia is leading the way, and we can also do something about it in the Netherlands. Germany is also making good progress. ‘The Crocodile Gang’ is an excellent example of this. This adventure film is well put together, is exciting, moves at times and appeals to the imagination of school-aged youth. The themes addressed—friendships, budding infatuation, insecurity—may not be particularly original; however, it is precisely the themes that appeal to the target group. Moreover, director Christian Ditter has developed them in a particularly effective way into an appealing youth film that is playful, adventurous and sympathetic at the same time.