Axolotl Overkill

I’m not sure about this one. Axolotl Overkill certainly wasn’t for me. Frankly, its story of a teenage girl who engages in alcohol, sex, drugs and crime without consequence made my late-20s self clutch at my pearls a bit. But even that reaction suggests there’s something to this. Axolotl Overkill is a stylized and challenging film with great cinematography. It’s a deeply impressive debut from Helene Hegemann. As much as I maybe didn’t like what was onscreen, I think Hegemann achieved what she set out to do with the film. And did so with an impressive amount of self-assurance when it came to the film’s tone and style.

Told episodically, Axolotl Overkill follows Mifti, a 16 year old German girl. Pretty much everything Mifti engages in is a parent’s worst nightmare. She goes clubbing often, has quite a lot of sex and her best friend is an actress with a drug problem. Mifti’s also involved with an older woman named Alice. Though really, older is an irrelevant adjective. Everyone is older than 16 year old Mifti. These activities should result in some sort of consequence, but Mifti doesn’t have an adult in her life who cares. Her mother is dead and her father is uninvolved and rich enough to consistently make his children and their needs not his problem.

God, everyone in this movie sucks so much. And I’ll allow it from the teen characters because teenagers inherently suck. But all of the adults here depict such a failure in guiding the next generation. I found the film frustrating because Mifti seems to engage so freely in everything without consequence. Why is she able to get into endless clubs underage? And in some cases, where are the police? Mifti is straight-up doing crimes. But likely, Mifti wouldn’t be at this level if she experienced consequences for smaller actions. Like what she does at home or at school. But nobody cares enough or tries hard enough.

So, Mifti is adrift and searching for joy and identity without restraint. And being 16, she won’t stop making bad decisions. What’s interesting, if frustrating about Axolotl Overkill is that those bad decisions don’t really amount to anything. Axolotl Overkill is vignettes of Mifti’s life. They’re non-linear as well. And all of this is possible or, doesn’t matter because there’s so little change in this character’s life. Mifti ends the film the same way she began. There isn’t really a plot thread that follows through this movie. And the lack of consequences for this character means there’s little hope for growth. If you wanted this character to learn some sort of lesson, you’ll be disappointed. And if you wanted this film to have some sort of traditional three-act structure with a central conflict, you will likewise be disappointed.

At the end of the day, this is still a queer European coming-of-age film. AKA, one of the most populous subgenres of WLW film. In a lot of ways, Axolotl Overkill still falls neatly into this subgenre and its tropes. Basically, Mifti is the worst case scenario of the coming-of-age protagonist. Where many of these films have one or two scenes at parties, Axolotl Overkill has a protagonist who almost lives there. Again, it seems likely that Mifti is Like This because of a lack of parental figures which most of her cinematic alternatives would have. So Mifti gets to roll all of those risky behaviours that might feature as a subplot in another film into the entirety of this movie. It doesn’t feel that new or fresh, just like an edgier variation on the theme.

One of the other ways that Axolotl Overkill fits nicely into the European coming-of-age subgenre is the film’s style and visuals. Dang, these Europeans know how to do that. Axolotl Overkill is a visual treat. The cinematography, editing and style of the film really play into the focus on clubbing and partying. There’s an excess to the style which sometimes overwhelms. That’s pretty much the perfect depiction of a series of parties and clubs. There are also a few dance sequences. And personally, I couldn’t get on board for these. It’s jarring as hell when the film becomes Sia’s Chandelier music video. But that’s at least sort of the point. I might not have always personally enjoyed the style, but I respect how much thought went into every scene, every sound and every element of this movie to make such a youthful explosion of sensation.

Ultimately, I think I might be too old for Axolotl Overkill. This is a movie that will be viewed very differently by genuine teens compared to adults. As an adult, I just kept waiting for consequences I thought were inevitable. And I’ll have to keep waiting for those. Because Axolotl Overkill is a film about unrestricted teenage impulse and excess. And this is presented without a judgmental view that would lead to its characters receiving consequences. That’s an interesting, challenging story to be told that will certainly ruffle a few feathers. Not only does this film not really get into how inappropriate it is for a 16 year old to date and sleep with adults, it does so with consummate style and conviction to telling this story in this manner.

Overall rating: 5.6/10

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