We Are the Wave (German: Wir sind die Welle) is a German coming-of-agedramaweb television series that is loosely based on the 1981 novel The Wave by Morton Rhue. The series premiered on Netflix on 1 November 2019.
Synopsis
A group of teens, led by the new mysterious classmate Tristan Broch, pursue the dream of a better future. Angry at the social ills that the teenagers no longer want to accept, they decide to do something about it. What begins as an idealistic and playful revolt against the establishment, however, soon gets a threatening momentum. In the end, the question arises: Does the purpose really justify the means?
My Personal thoughts
We Are The Wave is the latest international teen drama to arrive on Netflix, and this one is making, well… waves among fans online.
Otherwise known as Wir sind die Welle in its native Germany, We Are The Wave is very loosely based on a Morton Rhue novel called The Wave, which explored how society can compel people to commit heinous acts against their nature.
Inspired by the book’s controversial themes, We Are The Wave tells a modern-day version which revolves around a group of teenagers who revolt against the establishment. What starts out as idealism soon develops into something far more dangerous as Tristan and his classmates risk turning into the oppressors they’re rebelling against in the first place.
In many ways, We are the Wave Season 1 is indicative of what’s to come. In recent years, our jaded political system has hit ludicrousy. After years of progressive ideas, we forgot about a silent majority that was waiting to fight back against modern liberal ideas. Their answer? Donald Trump and Brexit. We flagrantly pushed them too far, and our target for a better future is now thrown into a frustrating political system that we never aspired to. Hung parliaments, impeachments, fake news, climate change deniers, but most frighteningly, an increase of right-wing extremism in Europe and America.
Ironically, this has caused left-wing extremism.
And with 16-year old Greta Thunberg receiving targeted abuse from full-grown adults and climate change protests banned by the UK government, we are left with detest on both sides. We are the Wave is a story that articulates that underlying extreme movement that is caused by frustrated political landscapes. It follows the story of a group of teens who all hold idealistic views — We are the Wave is a revolt against the establishment, but also details what happens when anger moves away from social and is converted into physical action.
The opening episode of We are the Wave Season 1 mostly focuses on Tristan Broch (Ludwig Simon) and Lea Herst (Luise Befort). Tristan is the new kid on the block, wearing half-styled, half-shabby clothes. Lea is immediately drawn to him. His mysterious behaviour is the opening story as he has a way with words, and confronts enemies head-on. He’s within the parole system and clamours back to his “home” at a certain time every day.
You almost get the sense that Lea holds idealistic views in the opening chapters, but Tristan was the man that confirmed her beliefs. The curiosity takes precedence, and theory becomes reality. We are the Wave Season 1 sees Tristan, Lea and their new acquaintances plan leftist movements against right-wing authority, with some of these groups attached to neo-nazi rhetoric.
e are the Wave Season 1 is directed well. It understands the young mind. The music driving each chapter is cheesy, but the Netflix series understands social media, left-wing ideas and what is at stake in modern times. The formidable acting from the young cast shows that they truly believe in the story, as it distances itself from the generic teen-drama.
It’s a whole new era now for streaming with new platforms introduced, but Netflix have done well to add We are the Wave Season 1 to their roster.
I will rate this TV Series 7/10.
| Genre | Drama Mystery |
|---|---|
| Based on | The Wave by Morton Rhue |
| Written by | Jan Berger Ipek Zübert Kai Hafemeister Thorsten Wettcke Christine Heinlein |
| Directed by | Anca Miruna Lăzărescu Mark Monheim |
| Starring | Luise Befort Ludwig Simon Michelle Barthel Daniel Friedl Mohamed Issa |
| Composer(s) | Heiko Maile |
| Country of origin | Germany |
| Original language(s) | German |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 6 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Dennis Gansel |
| Producer(s) | Christian Becker |
| Cinematography | Jan-Marcello Kahl |
| Editor(s) | Ann-Carolin Biesenbach |
| Camera setup | Single-camera |
| Running time | 45–54 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Rat Pack Filmproduktion Sony Pictures Film und Fernseh Produktion |
| Release | |
| Original network | Netflix |
| Picture format | 4K (16:9 UHDTV) |
| Audio format | Dolby Digital |
| Original release | 1 November 2019 – present |
My Simple Explanation 