SummaryInspired by the Stanford Prison Experiment, this psychological drama focuses on twenty paid recruits who are divided into groups "prisoners" and "guards" and are let loose in a controlled prison-like environment.
Directed By:Oliver Hirschbiegel
Written By:Mario Giordano, Christoph Darnstädt, Don Bohlinger
The Experiment
Metascore
Mixed or Average
59
User score
Generally Favorable
7.1
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Top Cast
Metascore
Mixed or Average
60% Positive
12 Reviews
12 Reviews
35% Mixed
7 Reviews
7 Reviews
5% Negative
1 Review
1 Review
80
En route, we also get a chance to examine the nature of the self and the responsibilities of science. Das Experiment has all this and more, excitingly packaged as a prison movie featuring superb performances and high emotional tension.
75
This is a grimly thrilling movie that falls somewhere between clear-eyed realism and the improbabilities of an action flick.
User score
Generally Favorable
70% Positive
26 Ratings
26 Ratings
24% Mixed
9 Ratings
9 Ratings
5% Negative
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
Jan 21, 2026
10
The psychological machinery of a human cage: A 5.0-star "sensational" surge of rhythmic human distrust.2011 (5.0)I watched "The Experiment" in 2011, and it delivered a visceral "revelation" that solidified its position as a definitive 5.0-star pillar of "human distrust" in my archive. This experience **** the fourth wall of social order by infusing the "raw" and stagnant cruelty of a simulated prison with a high-tension, rebellious energy that felt 100% suffocating. The narrative rhythm was far from "stagnant"; instead, it offered a "chewy" and sophisticated exploration of how "pathetic" and fragile the human psyche becomes when given a sliver of unearned power, leaving me in a state of absolute "hororong" as the guards’ shadows grew longer. Seeing the "vivid" transformation of ordinary people into monsters provided an emotional payoff that felt both "raw" and hauntingly "sensational," mirroring the high-tension precision of my most cherished psychological thrillers like "The Chaser." The 95% preservation of my memory is dominated by the rhythmic, "raw" tension of the "no-violence" rule being **** and the high-tension gaze of the participants as they succumbed to their primal instincts, creating a permanent, "sensational" scar of existential cynicism on my soul. Unlike the "1.0-star traumas" of mindless gore, this masterpiece possessed a "vivid" and haunting soul that exposed the "stagnant" delusion of civilization. It stands in my 2011 record as a powerful 5.0-star testament to the "raw" power of human observation—a high-tension encounter with the "vivid" roots of social decay that remains one of the most intellectually "chewy" and "sensational" artifacts of my cinematic journey.
Apr 9, 2021
9
There is only few mistakes: The movie is a bit unrealistic and sometimes the actors are too quiet and should speak louder. But other than that it is a top movie with good acting and humanistic meaning. Especially I like, that the movie focus on the psychological development of the characters.
75
Because the confrontations between power and powerlessness are so dramatic and because Hirschbiegel's editing is so emphatic, Das Experiment is practically over before you realize that you don't know what its point is, exactly.
67
Doesn't tell you anything about human nature you probably haven't already suspected, but then again it's good to be reminded of these dark things from time to time. Especially these days.
60
The film's hysterically pitched action overshadows its more subtle psychological points.
50
For all its slickness, is an R-rated version of "Survivor," "Big Brother" or any number of reality-TV shows that present voyeurism as entertainment and exploitation as insight.
30
Too much of a mess to say anything with assurance, pieced together as it is from mismatched institutional movies such as "Cool Hand Luke" and "Shock Corridor" -- with "Lord of the Flies" thrown in for good measure -- and turning on plot points that simply don't wash.
Aug 3, 2018
8
Interesting throughout the complete duration. The love story integrated seemed kinda exaggerated but everything else was shocking and quite realistic.
Dec 14, 2017
8
L'Expérience est une sorte de "jeu" grandeur nature, un "test" éminemment instructif et édifiant dans lequel 8 gardiens sont chargés de surveiller 12 détenus sous l'oeil attentif des expérimentateurs qui veulent ainsi regarder à la loupe, puis éventuellement disséquer le comportement humain dans une telle situation... C'est inspiré de faits réels et bien entendu on se doute bien que tout cela va partir en vrille bien vite... On pense évidemment avant cette "expérience" à celle de Stanley Milgram sur la soumission à l'autorité et la déshumanisation stupéfiante qu'elle a engendrée. Ici, le réalisateur allemand Oliver Hirschbiegel exploite à fond le concept et le creuse à l'extrême. De façon très progressive, il démonte et démontre habilement toute la mécanique qui va mener à la violence, au sadisme, à la cruauté et à l'humiliation. Puis au meurtre. L'ambiance est très réaliste, telle une sorte de quasi-documentaire et si quelques points scénaristiques sont sujets à caution (le rôle de la copine, anecdotique et dispensable notamment) si peut-être une certaine exagération fait pencher finalement le film vers le thriller plus classique, il n'en reste pas moins que l'objectif recherché est atteint : nous voilà sidérés par cette Expérience qui n'a rien perdu de son impact, bien des années après. On retrouve quelques pointures du cinéma allemand et la mise en scène caractéristique de Hirschbiegel : plutôt froide et peu amène en vérité mais contrairement au cinéma américain sans aucun effet de manches ou de guimauve superflue. Pas de "leçon" non plus, car les "faits" parlent d'eux-mêmes et ça, c'est très appréciable. Un film passionnant et très efficace, toujours aussi saisissant.
Jan 23, 2014
6
This film was intense. It was based off the Stanford Prison Experiment, but if I remember correctly, nobody really died at the end of it, though someone did get removed early, and some of the psychologists actually tried to stop the experiment earlier than 6 days. Great performance by everyone in the cast. But I'm not a big fan of the story, since it seemed a bit melodramatic; the phrase "that escalated quickly" really describes this film. I wish they'd actually stuck to the facts instead of aiming for the disgust factor. They made the psychologists look like real genuine gullible idiots in this film; first, they let an ex-convict in (they obviously did not do any background checks), second, they let a potentially psychopathic guy in, third, they took their participants at their word (people lie, it's a fact).
Feb 24, 2015
3
I got this movie after I discovered it was written, produced & directed by the genius behind Prison Break Paul T Scheuring. The two leads are brilliant, and it was clear from this film how they were both Oscar winners. A couple of the scenes were brutal, overall a good movie, not the best I've ever seen, but I'm glad I bought it.
Production Company:
- Typhoon
- Fanes Film
- Senator Film Produktion
- SevenPictures Film
Release Date:Sep 18, 2002
Duration:2 h
Rating:R
Tagline:20 men. Two groups. An experience you will never forget.
Awards
German Film Awards
• 4 Wins & 5 Nominations
Bavarian Film Awards
• 3 Wins & 3 Nominations
Political Film Society, USA
• 3 Nominations
