Outline:
A Unique War Film Making Waves
What if Shutter Island was set in World War II? That is how one reviewer describes the movie that has taken over the Prime Video chart despite it being one that you have probably never heard of. A German Amazon Original, The Tank is currently at number one on the Prime Video Global chart, while being held in second place behind Liam Neeson’s The Naked Gun in the U.S.
The Tank – or Der Tiger in its native language – is an anti-war movie that has landed itself a 64% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, but is also a movie that has no critical reviews and no one is really talking about. It is therefore one of those mysterious movies that is thrown up on streaming platforms and draws in a huge viewership based on nothing but a popular genre and a prominent place on the "New to Prime" banner.
The Cast and Director Behind the Film
The Tank is directed by Dennis Gansel and stars David Schütter, Laurence Rupp, Leonard Kunz, Andre Hennicke, and Sebastian Urzendowsky among others. The synopsis of the movie reads:
"Eastern Front, 1943: The 5-man crew of a German Tiger tank is sent on a secret mission deep behind the fiercely contested front lines. As they journey through no man’s land, they not only push further into enemy territory but also confront their own fears and abysses. Intoxicated by the methamphetamine of the Wehrmacht, their mission increasingly becomes a journey into the heart of darkness…."
In July 2025, the movie became a first for an Amazon Original, after securing a theatrical release in Germany. "The film Der Tiger will be our first German Original that we’re bringing to the big screen," said Philip Pratt, Head of German Originals, Amazon MGM Studios. "When Dennis Gansel and producer Frank Kusche first presented the idea to us, we immediately knew we had to make it. This special film deserves the biggest stage. Dennis is not only an award-winning director, but with films like Napola and The Wave, he has proven that he has a special sensitivity for this subject matter."
Critical Reception and Viewer Reactions
‘The Tank’ Is a "Must Watch" but You Will Not Be Prepared for the Ending
While The Tank may not have perfect scores, there are many reviews that speak highly of the film’s intensity, its depiction of the traumatic and immense mental pressure put upon soldiers at war, and for its realism when it comes to its setting.
One review called it a "must watch even if you don’t like war movies," with another adding that it is "the best tank thriller since Fury." However, for some, the greatest of the movie’s first two acts is completely undone by the ending that everyone watching any movie dreads. Read on if you don’t mind spoilers.
Across the film’s reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb (where it holds a 6.6 score), there is one defining opinion that seems to be both a blessing and a curse for the film: its "appalling" ending.
Controversial Conclusion
In one two-star review on IMDb, user Hoops-85 says, "It was all a dream? Are you kidding me? The most cliché-ridden, terrible way to end a movie ever. I thought everyone had stopped using that ending years ago. And they went with it. Unbelievable. Don’t bother, because the whole movie doesn’t mean anything once you reach that stupid ending."
Yes, no one likes it when a film can’t seem to work out how to end its story and pulls the dream card, or some other kind of flake-out scenario. Despite that, the film packs a brutal punch in the story it tells before it undoes it all, and perhaps if you can overlook those last few minutes, then you will find a movie that deserves the attention it is now getting.