It is certainly not a positive sign that this movie includes one of Germany's most famous comedy duos and is also among Germany's most known comedy movies looking at how many ratings it has here on IMDb. This film from 15 years ago is actually the first of three movies starring these two characters. Their shtick is to appear as tough guys, but in reality they just look like idiots. They were so successful that they also got their own television series. The film, which runs clearly under 90 minutes, is directed by Michael Bully Herbig, one of Germany's most known comedians to this today and he made this movie shortly before his big cinema breakthrough with "Der Schuh des Manitu". There are also some regulars from Herbig films in smaller roles in here. The film's writer duo have collaborated on quite a few projects before and after this movie. The female lead character is played by Alexandra Neldel, a blonde soap opera actress who also has a career much more for her looks than for real acting talent. German audiences may also have heard about cast member Manfred Zapatka, who is almost too good for a movie like this. This film has some political background as it refers a tape which is about to bring to light what really happened to Uwe Barschel the day he died, one of the great murder mysteries in German history. Also the film is quite anti-American, which some certainly will not like. Unfortunately, it is almost never funny
14 Reviews
Very funny, if you like the style.
bugarup6 May 2002
If you live in or near Munich, you have probably already noticed the kind of teenagers that dye their hair jet black, hang around train stations and talk German with a pseudo-Turkish accent (regardless of where they come from). Erkan and Stefan are just like those kids, minus the hair dye. They use the same pathetic teenie slang, always want to appear as hard as possible and are basically idiots. All in all, they're a very accurate representation of the stereotype. The movie is about these two getting involved with the BND and CIA and even out- (or should I say under-?) witting them in their particular idiom. I can recommend this to everyone who has seen, and maybe made fun of, the kind of kids described above. It's truly hilarious. To those who don't like really "dumb" (as in "you don't need a brain to laugh at this") movies and those who had their sense of humour surgically removed, hands off this. You'd be wasting your time.
The worst movie I have ever seen
dhahn2 April 2000
I have never before voted 1 for a movie on the IMDB, but for this one I am sorry the scale doesn't go down to -10.
All I can say abou this movie is that I saw it in a Sneak Preview, and it was my worst movie experience ever. I don't mind the stupid jokes. I can live with the silly story. But when I see those dumbly grinning "main characters" with their pseudo-foreign speech (only Germans will understand what I talk about), I felt I kind of loathing I never thought I was capable of. (If they had left them out, the thing may actually have been acceptable...).
There's not much more to be said about this one. You may laugh once or twice, because it's so ridiculous, but that doesn't make it any better. It is definitely not funny.
If you live outside of Germany, be happy and rejoice that this awful work will most likely never make it to your cinemas.
If you do live in Germany, avoid this movie at all costs.
All I can say abou this movie is that I saw it in a Sneak Preview, and it was my worst movie experience ever. I don't mind the stupid jokes. I can live with the silly story. But when I see those dumbly grinning "main characters" with their pseudo-foreign speech (only Germans will understand what I talk about), I felt I kind of loathing I never thought I was capable of. (If they had left them out, the thing may actually have been acceptable...).
There's not much more to be said about this one. You may laugh once or twice, because it's so ridiculous, but that doesn't make it any better. It is definitely not funny.
If you live outside of Germany, be happy and rejoice that this awful work will most likely never make it to your cinemas.
If you do live in Germany, avoid this movie at all costs.
Unbelievably bad (one mild spoiler)
andreas-schmidt-pabst3 August 2007
This is one of the worst movies, I've ever seen. Not only that it is a comedy which isn't funny but it's also very badly made with an over the top direction full of unnecessary split screens and other effects.
The two "heroes" with their fantasy language are just annoying and it confused me quite a lot that they touched each others genitals all the time. But the worst of all that nonsense is the cheap attempt to give that movie some appeal by referring to German history and to show sensitive aspects of the "heroes", which finds its climax in showing how Erkan and Stefan cure a mentally ill woman with their "joyful" lifestyle (!). But I hadn't expect anything better by director Michael "Bully" Herbig, who also made two not funny TV-shows, a not funny western movie and a nearly not funny sf-comedy movie. But Erkan and Stefan had been- just a little- better in some of their stand-up programs. For me the only good thing about the movie is Alexandra Neldel who is very beautiful to me.
The two "heroes" with their fantasy language are just annoying and it confused me quite a lot that they touched each others genitals all the time. But the worst of all that nonsense is the cheap attempt to give that movie some appeal by referring to German history and to show sensitive aspects of the "heroes", which finds its climax in showing how Erkan and Stefan cure a mentally ill woman with their "joyful" lifestyle (!). But I hadn't expect anything better by director Michael "Bully" Herbig, who also made two not funny TV-shows, a not funny western movie and a nearly not funny sf-comedy movie. But Erkan and Stefan had been- just a little- better in some of their stand-up programs. For me the only good thing about the movie is Alexandra Neldel who is very beautiful to me.
New wave of humor in Germany
goofii-211 April 2000
I enjoyed Erkan & Stefan a cool and fast story which didn't get bogged down in detail. Those two guys are great to see and are able to come up with new ideas all the time. The high quality of picture and cut support the movie a lot.
Erkan & Stefan show that the German film industry is capable of transferring successful Hollywood concepts with local `satire' into our cinemas.
Erkan & Stefan show that the German film industry is capable of transferring successful Hollywood concepts with local `satire' into our cinemas.
A funny great movie
Faithless-TheWonderboy7 October 2004
I was looking in the TV Guide for movies that come from Germany and I found one called The Bunnyguards, so I watched it and I laughed myself silly! I wanted the DVD but its not available here (I could order it from Germany but it doesn't have subtitles) It was played again so I taped it and watch it from time to time.
Anyway, I looked for info on it and found out its real name is Erkan & Stefan, but I know it by its Australian title: The Bunnyguards.
Some people who I know from Germany do not like Erkan & Stefan because of their accents, but not being German myself, I didn't notice anything. The jokes are good, but some Germans might find their accents off-putting.
I think this movie is funny and if the DVD had English subtitles on all the extras (having a 2 disk edition with only the feature having subtitles would be bad) I would buy it up in a snap!
I recommend it to anyone looking for a laugh and a pretty good story.
Anyway, I looked for info on it and found out its real name is Erkan & Stefan, but I know it by its Australian title: The Bunnyguards.
Some people who I know from Germany do not like Erkan & Stefan because of their accents, but not being German myself, I didn't notice anything. The jokes are good, but some Germans might find their accents off-putting.
I think this movie is funny and if the DVD had English subtitles on all the extras (having a 2 disk edition with only the feature having subtitles would be bad) I would buy it up in a snap!
I recommend it to anyone looking for a laugh and a pretty good story.
Great and/but stupid
valdas29 September 2000
Great movie. I was laughing all time through. Why? Well, I am from Austria, I can get along with the German (Bavarian) kind of humor. So I guess this movie makes only sense watching when you are German native speaker. Stefan and Erkan both are talking in a new kind of turkish-german accent, which became really popular in our Countries (GER & AUT). But of course they are very stupid. As in every comedy your personal humor will decide, whether thumb up or down.
Very funny - if you like the characters
AristarchosTheArchivist15 March 2002
"Erkan und Stefan" is a very funny movie. And the best thing: it even has a PLOT! Basically, it's a sometimes suspenseful and serious secret service thriller BUT it has Erkan Maria Moosleitner and Stefan Lust starring in it. That's what makes this movie a comedy. First time director Michael "Bully" Herbig delivers a very well-crafted piece of German cinema - believe it or not. It is a worthy forerunner of "Manitu's Shoe". Hilarious and highly original ideas and gags, very funny "dialogue" combined with a stylish look, fine orchestral score and good overall acting. A movie to be seen more than once and perfectly fit for a good home cinema party. A must if you liked "Spies like us" and "Dude, where's my car?".
8 out of 10
8 out of 10
If you like to laugh, watch this movie !
Habakuk10 May 2000
I gave 9 of 10 points. I was sitting in tears nearly the whole movie, because I had to laugh!
The story of course wasn't excellent, but it also wasn't boring. Erkan & Stefan are assigned to become bodyguards for the beautiful Nina. While doing this job they come between the "front-lines" of BND and CIA. Of course the two are neither born bodyguards nor gentlemen, so they run from one disaster into another; and they do this in such a funny way, that when you watch some scenes you won't be able to stop the tears! As actors those two "dumbly grinning" characters do quite well, better than some so called professional.
You think, the speech of the two heroes is curios or "pseudo-foreign"? Well, if you hear quite a lot Turkish-German people in Munich speaking exactly like them, you will remember Erkan & Stefan. And maybe, in 10 years it might have become the common speech of the youth. (God forbid!)
So, if you like to laugh, watch this movie!
The story of course wasn't excellent, but it also wasn't boring. Erkan & Stefan are assigned to become bodyguards for the beautiful Nina. While doing this job they come between the "front-lines" of BND and CIA. Of course the two are neither born bodyguards nor gentlemen, so they run from one disaster into another; and they do this in such a funny way, that when you watch some scenes you won't be able to stop the tears! As actors those two "dumbly grinning" characters do quite well, better than some so called professional.
You think, the speech of the two heroes is curios or "pseudo-foreign"? Well, if you hear quite a lot Turkish-German people in Munich speaking exactly like them, you will remember Erkan & Stefan. And maybe, in 10 years it might have become the common speech of the youth. (God forbid!)
So, if you like to laugh, watch this movie!
German comedy of the year
eyes of C3-P010 May 2001
Those two main characters Erkan and Stefan are a munich comedy act. I was wondering if this is one of these typical slapstick movies where the story is either not important or simply not existing. But when I saw this movie I was very happy that there is a cool story and the main characters really fit in it.
All in all very amusing and not a common german movie.
All in all very amusing and not a common german movie.
Cool plot
Vogler20 February 2003
I didn't expect much of this movie. I don't like that turkish-german slang because it's so worn out by now. However I was blown away by the cool story. This movie combines very well made secret service movie scenes with Erkan & Stefan. Bully is a professional, no doubt. But the best thing is the plot: the conspirancy of the president of the US and Uwe Barschel. ROTFL!
The German Answer To "Dumb And Dumber"
Karl Self7 April 2001
Erkan Maria Moosleitner and Stefan Lust have a good comedy act, Michael "Bully" Herbig is a renowned director for comedy clips; unfortunately, the three are completely out of their depth in this attempt at a cinema - sized comedy. The result is like watching a 5 - minute "Stefan & Erkan" skid played back at greatly reduced speed to fill the 90 minutes running time. Kind of what you would expect from a German comedy, in a bad sense.
total krass, ey!
mc.wagner5 June 2000
I have seen this movie today and I think, it's really worth looking at, when you just want to have a little fun. Of course some of the jokes are not the best ones you've ever heard, but it's never boring and you can have good fun.
So if you want to have fun, watch this movie and take a good friend and two or three bottles of beer with you (so did I).
So if you want to have fun, watch this movie and take a good friend and two or three bottles of beer with you (so did I).
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
