The Experiment

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The Experiment

R

2002

1h 56m

Mystery & Thriller

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

72%

Tomatometer

65 Reviews

88%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

As part of a psychological research project, twenty recruits will be divided up into prisoners and guards. In a controlled penitentiary-like environment, "prisoners" are incarcerated and ordered to obey the rules, "guards" are instructed to keep order. They will be thrown head-first into a two-week-long examination of the effects of assigned roles, power and control, and won't be the same when it's over. But it's just a simulation. Or is it?

Critics Consensus

Das Experiment's knotty plot may not prove as revelatory as it promises, but it succeeds as an action film with a lot on its addled mind.

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Susan Walker

Toronto Star

Nov 8, 2002

3/5

The movie's central premise -- is well supported in a film whose strength is in its close-ups on characters and its ability to put the viewer in the cell with them.

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Ray Conlogue

Globe and Mail

Nov 8, 2002

3/4

Probably it's more action film than anything else, but has enough insight to be of interest to serious filmgoers.

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Oct 25, 2002

3/4

What impressed me is how effective the movie was, even though the outcome is a foregone conclusion.

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Felix Vasquez Jr.

Cinema Crazed

May 7, 2009

Never has there been such a chilling portrait of the human psyche.

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Michelle Thomas

Future Movies UK

Apr 1, 2006

8/10

Johnny Butane

Dread Central

Feb 1, 2006

4/5

Go in expecting whatever you want, chances are you're going to get something that much better.

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Jerod S

@jeroduptown Jun 16, 2025

Prison guards and prisoners set up in an experiment in human nature. Guards exploit power...shocker; but still a tense ride.

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Feb 9, 2021

In fact, I expected a little more from this film. A film in the bowels of a research laboratory made according to a real event, where the whole experiment gets out of control, is certainly a tempting topic. Unfortunately, the content of the film is no longer like that. The whole film came to me a bit sloppy, but it certainly didn't bore me. I like movies from the prison environment, but probably because it was de facto just a game, as some actors in the film said, it didn't bother me that much, but I still think that you will find this film for your fans. I definitely rate this film positively, even though I expected more from it

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Jan 22, 2020

Worst movie .. no logic..

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Jun 8, 2016

Hitaan alun jälkeen ote tiukkenee loppua kohden.

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Apr 8, 2016

Out of the fucking box, madness in its uncontrolled wilderness. Watching this makes me wanna tear faces apart.

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Nov 10, 2015

daj mu na covek mokj, i ke vidis sto gomno e...

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Oliver Hirschbiegel

Director

Moritz Bleibtreu

Tarek Fahd

Maren Eggert

Dora

Christian Berkel

Steinhoff

Justus von Dohnányi

Berus - Strafvollzugsbeamter

Oliver Stokowski

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Synopsis

As part of a psychological research project, twenty recruits will be divided up into prisoners and guards. In a controlled penitentiary-like environment, "prisoners" are incarcerated and ordered to obey the rules, "guards" are instructed to keep order. They will be thrown head-first into a two-week-long examination of the effects of assigned roles, power and control, and won't be the same when it's over. But it's just a simulation. Or is it?

Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel
Producer: Norbert Preuss, Marc Conrad, Fritz Wildfeuer
Screenwriter: Mario Giordano, Don Bohlinger, Christoph Darnstädt
Distributor: Manga Films S.L., Samuel Goldwyn Company, IDP Distribution, Central Partnership, Senator Film, GAGA Communications [jp], Sherlock Media S.L., Nexo, Argentina Video Home, Metropolitan Filmexport [fr]
Production Co: Senator Film Produktion GmbH, Fanes Film, Typhoon Film AG, Seven Pictures
Rating: R (Language|Disturbing Situations|Nudity|Sexuality|Strong Violence)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Drama
Original Language: German
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 20, 2002, Original
Box Office (Gross USA): $141.1K
Runtime: 1h 56m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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