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The Wave poster

Film · 2008

The Wave

Original titleDie Welle

Directed by Dennis Gansel · starring Christiane Paul, Frederick Lau and Jürgen Vogel

  • 1 h 41 min
  • 15
  • Drama · Suspense
  • Germany
  • Released in the UK 18 September 2008
  • 7.4 Users36 votes

Synopsis

Germany today. During a project week, high school teacher Rainer Wenger comes up with an experiment in order to explain to his students how totalitarian governments work. A role-playing game with tragic results begins. Within a few days, what began as harmless notions, like discipline and community, builds into a real movement: The Wave. By the third day, the students start ostracizing and threatening others. When the conflict finally erupts into violence at an intramural water polo game, the teacher decides to break off the experiment. But it's too late. The Wave is out of control.

Where to watch The Wave

All the options

Available now in the UK:

Availability checked on 8 November 2026.

The essentials

Runtime
101 min1 hour and 41 minutes
Budget
€5mRat Pack Filmproduktion GmbH
Rating
15Suitable only for 15 years and over
How long is The Wave?
1 hour and 41 minutes (101 minutes).
When was The Wave released in the UK?
It was released in the UK on 18 September 2008.
Who directed The Wave?
Dennis Gansel.
Who is in The Wave?
It stars Christiane Paul, Frederick Lau, Jürgen Vogel and Max Riemelt.
Where can I watch The Wave?
In the UK it is available with a channel on Prime Video and to rent on Apple TV.
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Director
Dennis Gansel
Writers
Dennis Gansel

Photos and posters

All 18 photos

Reviews

7.4 36 votes
  • 1011 %
  • 96 %
  • 828 %
  • 742 %
  • 66 %
  • ≤58 %

Soundtrack

All 19 songs
  1. Rock 'n' Roll High SchoolEL, KE Spotify
  2. Fight The StartThe Kilians Spotify
  3. Short Life Of MargottThe Kilians Spotify
  4. Execution SongJohnossi Spotify
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