‘Amrum’ Review: Fall of Nazi regime through a child’s confused eyes

Set in the final days of World War II, ‘Amrum’ depicts the collapse of the Nazi regime as it plays out in the everyday life of a small German island, seen through the eyes of a boy who struggles to comprehend what is happening around him.

The film makes the audience walk alongside its characters, discovering events as they unfold rather than guiding them with moral signposts. It offers a quiet perspective on history, told not from the victors’ side but from within a German household struggling to come to terms with ideological collapse.

Directed by Fatih Akin and co-written with Hark Bohm, ‘Amrum’ is based on Bohm’s childhood on the German island of the same name.

Instead of revisiting the war through large-scale conflict or political spectacle, the film focuses on its emotional and psychological aftermath. The fall of the Hitler regime is shown as it is experienced by ordinary people, particularly a child.

At the centre of the story is Nanning (Jasper Billerbeck), a young boy growing up under his mother Hille’s (Laura Tonke) strict ideological influence. A woman devoted to the Nazi cause, Hille anxiously awaits the return of her husband, a Nazi official, while also preparing for the birth of another child as the film begins. Hille is more concerned about Nanning’s loyalty to the Nazi party than his emotional needs or innocence. Her influence weighs heavily on him, shaping his beliefs even as they begin to fall apart.

As the war draws to a close, Nanning becomes increasingly confused, unsure of how to act. He wants to do what he believes is right, but slowly begins to doubt his own convictions. Too young to comprehend the reality of the world and surrounded by adults who offer little guidance, he struggles to make sense of the rapid changes. ‘Amrum’ works powerfully as a coming-of-age film, showing how children absorb ideologies, fears and trauma from their parents.

While Taika Waititi’s ‘Jojo Rabbit’ (2020) presents Jojo Betzler, a 10-year-old member of the Hitler Youth who imagines Adolf Hitler as his friend, ‘Amrum’ introduces Nanning as a deeply brainwashed child shaped by unquestioning loyalty. Unlike Jojo, whose story unfolds through satire, Nanning is sent on dangerous, often adventurous tasks: fishing at night, crossing the sea at high tide, and helping hunt seals, all to fulfil his mother’s wishes. Where ‘Jojo Rabbit’ uses humour to critique Nazi ideology, ‘Amrum’ moves through layers of emotional weight and confusion. Nanning’s journey is marked by fear, doubt and obedience. While viewers may draw parallels between the two young protagonists and their ideological conditioning, the films tell their stories through entirely different genres. One uses satire to dismantle belief, while the other quietly examines the emotional cost of growing up within it.

Beyond its historical setting, ‘Amrum’ also explores themes of parental influence, strained relationships and intense emotions. These elements ground the narrative, making the political deeply personal.

Visually, ‘Amrum’ is striking. Cinematographer Karl Walter Lindenlaub delivers impressive work, using wide-angle shots and gentle pans to capture the stark beauty of the island while setting the story’s tone. The use of cool tones accentuates the moral coldness of Nazi ideology and adds emotional depth.

Performances across the board are strong, with Billerbeck delivering a convincing portrayal of a boy caught between belief and doubt. Akin’s direction is assured and restrained, trusting the audience to engage with the film’s ambiguity, though the ending could have been more effective had it delved deeper into Nanning’s journey. Thoughtful, visually rich and emotionally resonant, ‘Amrum’ stands out as a compelling and unconventional take on World War II, and a poignant portrait of a child growing up amid the ruins of belief.