Review: Steppenwolf

Blu-ray: Steppenwolf (2024)

Sometimes the endless film reviewing for 60MW can be a chore, but this is outweighed by some of the truly amazing films we would never get to hear about, never mind see, without it.

Steppenwolf is one of those films.

Supposedly based on Hermann Hesse’s novel ‘Steppenwolf,’ first published in German in 1927, according to Kazakhstan director Adilkhan Yerzhanov, it is NOTHING like this novel, except that it somewhat examines the dichotomy between the spiritual and animalistic in man. Nope, this is more influenced by film, namely John Ford’s ‘The Searchers’ beginning with a direct copy of the opening scene from that very film. Plus, throw in some more classic movie director influences, such as Sergio Leone, and you’re in for a visual treat.

This is more of a post-apocalyptic  – though I assume this is actually modern day Kazakhstan road journey were the two main characters of Berik Aytzhanov, who may of may not be a policeman and kills everyone in sight, and Anna Starchenko, who at first is quite annoyingly mumbling and repeating her story in her quest to find her missing son, but who you later realise is so damaged she can’t communicate in any other way.

On this release is another collaboration between Aytzhanov and Yerzhanov; “Goliath”, an equally as grim and affecting film.

Steppenwolf is a very nihilistic film that I hope gets a wider audience. I also hope to see Berik Aytzhanov in a lot more films from now on. What a fantastic actor he is.

Released May 26th by Arrow Films.

Review by Tina from a disc kindly supplied by Arrow Films.