Diane Kruger makes the most of her role as Katja Sekerci, whose husband and son are killed in an explosion in Hamburg set off by pro-Nazis. As a result she is grief-stricken and suicidal in “In the Fade,” a German film directed by Fatih Akin. Katja’s hopes for what justice can be achieved are lifted with the arrest of the perpetrators.
But their trial, well-dramatized and bringing out the pro-Nazi menace depicted as lurking in Germany, comes to naught as the perpetrators are not convicted.
Here “In the Fade” takes a major turn as Katja decides vengefully to take justice into her own hands. Kruger is so very good, both in the early portions of the film, and when she becomes determined to hunt down those responsible and kill them. Her plan requires ingenuity, and we are seduced into following her every move and rooting for her to succeed even if against the idea of more killing.
The film follows Katja’s international trail (the cinematography is consistently excellent) until the moment of truth arrives. How the film ends is for audiences to learn, as Kruger, aided by the screenplay, succeeds in further defining Katja. Director Akin, who co-wrote the film with Hark Bohm, scores in building the required tension, especially leading up to the climax. However one may react to the story and the ultimate resolution, this is definitely Kruger’s acting triumph. Reviewed December 27, 2017.