MOVIE REVIEW – “60 Minutes” is Netflix’s latest German action-thriller sensation, where pulse-pounding and occasionally blood-soaked fight scenes take mixed martial arts action to an unprecedented level on the big screen. But what’s the deal with this story? An MMA fighter has just 60 minutes to traverse Berlin… or else, big trouble ensues.

The film’s brutal brawls are expertly choreographed, with camera work, lighting, and editing that are absolutely on point. As we ponder whether anyone could survive, let alone get up and continue running to the next fight after such savage beatings, it becomes clear that director and co-writer Oliver Kienle wasn’t aiming for realism.

The film’s central conflict is riddled with exaggerated and sometimes hilariously dumb plot elements. There are moments when the action slows down, and our hero, who only has 60 minutes to parkour and fist-fight his way through Berlin’s streets, seems to forget why he’s even rushing across the city and the purpose of it all.

MMA and Parkour with a Twist

Fundamentally, the movie is a reimagining of another German action classic, “Run Lola Run,” but this time with MMA and parkour elements, accompanied by a plot that’s occasionally heart-pounding but always fully engaging in every fight scene.

Emilio Sakraya stars as Octa, short for Octavio. He’s a bleach-haired MMA fighter facing his biggest challenge in the form of Benko (Aristo Luis). Octa is incredibly tense and nervous, exploding during training and arguing with his coach, Cosima (Maire Mouroum), who fears that our fighter might burn out before the bell even rings. And with so much money at stake, manager Paul (Dennis Mojen) is possibly the most anxious of all. The whole team is grappling with serious financial woes, so the win money is critical for everyone.

Octa’s frustrations only grow as he’s reminded of his daughter’s birthday, having promised her A) his presence, B) a cake, and C) a “surprise” gift – unbeknownst to her, a cat named “Onion” from an animal shelter.

These tasks might seem doable, but Octa’s insistence on “not getting hit too much” during an MMA fight is laughably ironic. Why? He doesn’t want his seven-year-old to see her dad covered in bruises and contusions.

“Miss This, and You Lose Custody!”

When the fight time finally arrives, they reach the venue. But nobody is tough enough to take Octa’s phone away. His constant absence makes his daughter burst into tears. His ex-wife and her lawyer friend inform him that if he doesn’t make it by six o’clock, “In sixty minutes,” they’ll sue for sole custody. Naturally, he ditches the entire match right there and then.

But who can stop this ferocious fighter when he bolts? It quickly becomes evident that many are up for the task, as a slew of criminals and shady characters – directly or indirectly involved in the fight Octa just abandoned – chase after him. A horde of mostly martial arts-skilled baddies, in Lincoln Navigators and Hummers, armed with guns, are all set to lose if the fight doesn’t happen.

Therefore, Octa has to steal taxis from paying customers, leap over car hoods, climb walls, dash through subway stations and nightclubs, and on top of it all, pick up a cake and retrieve Onion the cat from the shelter.

Mein Gott!

So, yes, this German action film’s story is over-the-top and sometimes idiotic. But what we’re really interested in are the fights themselves – like the brutal chokeholds requiring four men to subdue Octa and drag him into a Lincoln. Of course, Octa won’t go down without a fight (and that’s putting it mildly…). Chaos ensues as our hero comes to, battling against mafioso Chino (Paul Wollin), hefty Winkel (Florian Schmidtke), and their henchmen, all trying to prevent Octa from meeting his daughter, little Leonie (Morik Maya Heydo).

The scriptwriters tried to add a backstory and motives to these overzealous mafiosos, primarily revolving around money and debts between various organizations. However, Octa is mostly uninterested in these; his focus is solely on reaching his daughter in Berlin, living with her mother in a distant part of the city. Despite these efforts, the motivations still fall short of justifying the brutal violence showcased in the film.

MMA Fists of Fury

And there’s plenty of violence to go around. Beyond traditional brawls, my favorite part is how Octa, even while handcuffed to a chair, doesn’t slow down. Initially, the criminals can’t beat him up too badly because they need him in one piece for the ring, but they quickly abandon this notion. As for Octa, he somehow manages to use his lethal hands and feet without killing anyone, perhaps explaining why the ineffectual cops don’t come to his aid when he seeks it, though they’re more than eager to arrest him.

So, there’s not much sense to be found in this ludicrous plot, but for those looking to spend an hour and a half watching an MMA fighter’s 60-minute marathon of hardcore fights, this German action-thriller can be an entertaining ride.

-Gergely Herpai (BadSector)-