User reviews

Films dealing with real events in the past and focusing on a non-general subject should find a specific form or approach - for the sake of wider understanding and praise. In 23, the story begins auspiciously, but then the pace abates, and many scenes and characters have little meaning for the story development - or they have a role, but the viewers obtain no satisfactory clarification. The activities of law enforcement are almost not depicted at all. True, the leading performances are realistic and good (particularly August Diehl as Karl Koch), and the moods and style of the 80ies have been caught, but the run of events and the ending did not meet my expectations in full.

Well, this story has its interesting angles at present as most of people in the 1980ies had no PC or intranet, but it is not on the level of e.g. Who Am I – Kein System ist sicher, dealing with hackers as well.

An intriguing portrait of a young man drifting away from reality. And since that young man was a famous hacker with an unhealthy interest in conspiracies, the movie has got to be about conspiracies, right? Wrong. But that's exactly what the ads would like you to think. Very bad marketing for a very good movie. And beware: it can bring you to tears!! (Just thinking about that PDP in the rain makes me weep ... *sniff*)

Conspiracy theorist alert! All conspiracy theorists need to see this movie. I wont mislead you all, it's not a conspiracy movie. It's a German cinematic variation of "The Falcon and the Snowman", based on actual events that took place in West Germany during the mid 80's.

It involves a young and rebellious radical, who happens to have a healthy appetite for conspiracy theories. Him and his good mate then turn to computer hacking as a means of fighting the war against nuclear power through out Europe.

As they get more involved people start offering them money to hack organisations for information (Including the KGB).... This is when things start becoming a bit awry!

Very thought provoking stuff, highly recommended!!!

In Fact, there are quiet many German movies which have brought the evidence to establish themselves as classics. In general these movies are dramas or comedies and very often they provide the viewer with historical informations of a certain time and area. However, what is often missing is suspense. Allhough German television is full of good crime stories and thrillers this Genre is hardly found in German cinema.

At least this is one reason why I like this movie so much. 23 allows to enter the mind of a burnt out, intelligent but unloved son, who tried to break out of his boring life by rebelling against his dominant father and the establishment of the mid 80th. Where as his protest uses to be more like coming out of a group behavior which is based on ideals his intention during the movie changes completely and ends up in a computer spy environment heavily connected with a continuous downward development of his mental and physical condition.

In one sentence: This movie is one of those that shouldn't end because you want to know more about everything,the whole thing, so deep you will place yourself into the plot and you don't want to leave it. 23 changed my life. Afterwards, I had another opinion about reality.

Check it out yourself, I extremely recommend this movies

23 is a 1998 German drama thriller film about a young hacker Karl Koch, who died on 23 May 1989, a presumed suicide. It was directed by Hans-Christian Schmid, who also participated in screen writing. The title derives from the protagonist's obsession with the number 23, a phenomenon often described as apophenia. Although the film was well received by critics and audiences, its accuracy has been vocally disputed by some witnesses to the real-life events on which it was based. Schmid subsequently co-authored a book that tells the story of the making of 23 and also details the differences between the movie and the actual events.

I watched this movie because some articles made me curious ... the film is very thrilling and full of sophisticated humor. i felt 15 years younger, it was like leafing through a diary. I was born in 1964 so the time of Karl Koch's youth was the time of my youth, too. I have, however, never been a hacker. I think it was the first scene: Karl Koch takes his key and walks to his car, "accompanied" by "Child In Time". From that beginning I was in the film and I loved it. I also love "mathematic tricks" and "mathematic obsessions", just like Karl Koch. If the Americans would have made this film there would have been a love story and maybe also a happy-end. 23 is a great European film.

The premise of this film is that late teen hacker Karl Koch, rebelling against his conservative(step)father and concerned with the complex conspiracy theories laid out in the novel "Illuminati", gets drawn in by two dodgy dealers that convince him that, as all info should be available to everybody, it would be absolutely consequential to conduct computer-espionage for the Sowiet Union. Accompanied by his friend David, this enterprise develops into a drugged and paranoid trip. In my opinion, the film renders quite a nice picture of what must have been the atmosphere during this period in German history, at the same time allowing a look back at early hacking. Conspiracy theory, though, is given the heaviest stress, in combination with the two youths getting carried away by the sheer excitement of their 'revolutionary' activities - and noses full of coke. Admittedly, it seems hardly believable this would be based on a true story. One of the reviews featured here, though, accused the actors of being to 'theatrical'. Although they might not perform on an academy-award-winning level, I rather thought everybody was acting pretty fairly.

Acting on the highest levels. Best german movie have ever seen.

Saw this at our local film festival. Feels very heavily influenced in terms of style and presentation by Britain's Trainspotting - the main protagonist haircut, cachetic physique, overdose scenes, etc. Still, the lead can give Ewan McGregor a run for his money in the acting department. Of course, the story is completely different from Trainspotting.

Well constructed and developed story. One can feel the main character's escalating paranoid and eventual loss of control as circumstances and events got too big for him to handle. Was there really such a character in real life? Poor chap.

I think this is a great movie. It's focus is on the *person* Karl Koch, how he became the character he was in the end, and definitely not another "Hacker"-like movie or a story about the so-called "KGB-Hack" and how his group was finally busted. What makes this movie different from e.g. X-Files is that it is realistic; everyone can easily reconstruct how Karl Koch came to believe in the conspiracy-theories based on the "Illuminatus"-books - A believe that was increasingly strengthened by his ever increasing cocaine addiction. This is also a movie about friendship, false friends, and how friendship and trust are sacrificed to money and addiction.

This film is very interesting as for its premise and its concept, but then unfortunately falls apart in the third act. It would have been more thrilling if there had been a real conspiracy against the hero. If there is something that German filmmakers can learn from Americans is that once a promising and intriguing premise for a thriller is set up the film will remain a thriller until the end and not steer into a relatively harmless pseudo-psychological drama.

A movie with a goood ideea , but not inspired from real facts , or better say the facts presend in movie like taking place in 1986 were in reality happend in 1989. In 1986 there are 5000 PC'S IN AL THE WORLD., in 1989 the number increase at 100000..WWW network appears in 1991.

"23" is one of the best german movies for a long time. It is based on the story of the life of Karl Koch (August Diehl: excellent) who was one of the best hackers of his time. 23 is the number of the Illuminators, the members of a worldwide secret society in the book "Illuminatus" by Robert Anton Wilson (who has a short guest appearance). On his high point of hacking Koch broke into the computers of US government arms control and delivered the data to the KGB. The film is a trip back to the 80's: The cold war, Olof Palme's assassination, Gadhaffi and Tschernobyl - most of the viewers will remember those things which dominated policy and influenced the all day life. The film shows the development of Karl Koch from his teenage years to his death as a person destroyed by his cocaine abuse and the extreme pressure he experienced in the wheels of eatern/western policy. This is a very good movie with very good actors-don't miss it!

I really liked "Lola rennt", but I loved "23". The plot is fascinating, the music is great, the cast is gorgeous. While telling the story, the movie takes you back into the 80s. August Diehl as Karl Koch does an outstanding performance. After watching "23", you'll ask yourself if there is really an international conspiracy going on. Nearly every time you hear or see this number, you'll think "What if it was true?". A must see. 10 points.

"23" is one of the best german movies for a long time. It is based on the story of the life of Karl Koch (August Diehl: excellent) who was one of the best hackers of his time. 23 is the number of the Illuminators, the members of a worldwide secret society in the book "Illuminatus" by Robert Anton Wilson (who has a short guest appearance). On his high point of hacking Koch broke into the computers of US government arms control and delivered the data to the KGB. The film is a trip back to the 80's: The cold war, Olof Palme's assassination, Gadhaffi and Tschernobyl - most of the viewers will remember those things which dominated policy and influenced the all day life. The film shows the development of Karl Koch from his teenage years to his death as a person destroyed by his cocaine abuse and the extreme pressure he experienced in the wheels of eatern/western policy. This is a very good movie with very good actors-don't miss it!

A fascinating movie. Wonderful story, camera and directing. And one of the most excellent casts I ever saw in any kind of movie. Great work!

Hacker have chosen russian side. Using and loving American computers and American internet while hating America... Clever?? This is the result of a century long russian propaganda in Germany. Sad. Very sad. In fact he betrayed his country by giving sensitive information to russians. Drug addiction was not the reason. Reason was propaganda and stupidity. I wonder why so many approving comments here. Also it's not making you a real hacker by using just bruteforce and phishing - almost every ordinary people can do this. I would recommend to watch movies about real hackers instead like "Takedown, 2000", "Hacker, 2016", "Who Am I, 2014".

A well researched accurate but still fast-paced movie.

This movie is of some significance to the history of computer hacking. Karl Koch may have been the loonie the movie presents, and I'm not sure he invented the concept of a Trojan, but the depiction of BBS/hacking/phreaking in the late eighties is nice and nostalgic.

The acting really works, very believable. Also reminiscent of cold war madness and fears. The "illuminatus" aspect is a bit of a sideshow, maybe true to what really happened, but it's not so certain. Who knows what really went on between these crazy Germans?...

This is one very dragging along piece of film. It clearly reconstructs the youth of Hagbard, a young German hacker in the eighties. This film reminds me of so much of my own youth, and August Diehl's (Karl Koch) acting is perfect, that me and my wife now had to see it for the third time.

Read Clifford Stoll's book "The Cockoo's Egg. Inside the World of Computer Espionage" to see the movie from the American view. You will understand some scenes better, for example where the number salad comes from on the computer screen in the phone booth.

For all hacking lovers, my hearty recommendation for this film. The emphasis here is not on hacking itself from the technical side, but on the side of philosophy and ethics. This film penetrated into the soul of the hacker himself, exposed it and showed that the hacker is just an ordinary person - with his faults and virtues, greed and regret.

This film also deals with the mystery of the conspiracy of number 23 and the Bavarian Illuminati, whose roots originate in Germany. I believe that it carries a message, for the awakening of all rebellious people, who do not belong to the system. Wake up, open your eyes, you, residents of a brave new world! Knowledge is power!

What an awesome year the German movie scene has been having! And "23" was part of it... definitely one of the coolest (yet most serious) German movies in the last couple of years. While it still sacrifices some realism for the sake of suspense, it's probably one of the most realistic "hacker movies" ever made. I grew up with the same computing stuff Karl Koch uses in the movie, so I loved it. Yay!