The first work of Tom Tykwer shows several qualities that have been brought to perfection in "Lola rennt" ("Run Lola Run"). There are especially the great camera work and the intelligent editing. Unfortunately the script is somewhat protracted now and then.

It's the directorial debut of Tom Tykwer and he knows how to drag us into his world. "Deadly Maria" is instantly mesmerizing with its strident horror film music and its surreal cinematography. Tykwer focuses on the details. He shows us clocks, an ink pen, the ear of the female protagonist, all in close up shots to control our attention heavily. Nina Petri, who plays the main character Maria, lets us share her thought in poetic offscreen-monologues. It's an oppressive and nightmarish storytelling in which we wait for the outburst of Maria.

"Die tödliche Maria" or "Deadly Maria" is a German(-language) film from 1993, so this one will have its 25th anniversary two years from now. The fact that it is more known than most other German works from around that time is probably due to this one being directed by Tom Tykwer ("Run Lola Run"),possibly Germany's most known director in Hollywood right now as he has worked with Tom Hanks on several occasions in recent years, which says a lot about his popularity. But Hanks of course does not appear in this film that runs for slightly over 100 minutes. The title character is played by Nina Petri (and two younger actresses). Also in the cast are known names like Bierbichler, Franke and Król. And even if the movie was ignored by the German Film Awards, it received a great deal of awards recognition during all kinds of other ceremonies. This was Tykwer's first full feature film, so you could certainly call it a breakthrough for him, even if it is not among his most known works today at all, rather among his least known works.

The story is about a pretty disturbed woman, but the men in her life aren't really any better and in the end catastrophe is inevitable. Not just for Maria. Still, a happy end and a moment of harmony are in the books at the very end for the title character. As a whole, I think the film was okay in terms of the story and plot, but nothing really too memorable which is why I cannot give it a better rating than 6 out of 10. However, all the actors in here definitely elevated the material by a lot and they were all good casting decisions I believe as they really made the characters work and it was easy to care about them and wonder what would happen to them. Thumbs up for that. Another thumbs-up for the atmospheric touch. Tykwer's gloomy take on the whole thing in terms of colors, sets and cinematography made this an unpleasant watch which was actually not just pleasant, but really perfect in connection to the story we get to witness. Overall, I applaud Tykwer for what he has come up with here and while I am a lot more critical in terms of his more recent work, I must say this one here (even if it is mostly thanks to the actors) is a pretty strong achievement for a rookie filmmaker. I recommend you to check it out and I personally even like it more than "Lola rennt". It just feels more authentic in terms of the whole premise of a young female with deep psychological troubles inside of her.