The Baader Meinhof Complex (2008)
Kernel Score: 76% · 642 ratings · Rated R
Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, History, Thriller
Released: 2008-09-25
Runtime: 149 minutes
Where to watch The Baader Meinhof Complex
- Stream: Prime Video
- Free with ads: Kanopy, Hoopla, Fawesome, The Roku Channel, Pluto TV
- Rent: Prime Video, Fandango At Home
- Buy: Prime Video, Fandango At Home
US availability, updated 2026-10-22.
Overview
When German police viciously quell a protest against the shah of Iran, popular journalist Ulrike Meinhof rebels against her dishonest marriage, walks away from her children and joins radical anarchist Andreas Baader. Together with Baader's girlfriend, Gudrun Ensslin, they form the violent Red Faction Army, and together perpetrate a slew of terrorist attacks as a way of disrupting the fabric of what they see as an increasingly fascist state.
The Baader Meinhof Complex parents' guide: ages 15+
Parents need to know that The Baader Meinhof Complex is an R-rated historical thriller depicting real-life terrorist attacks and political violence in 1970s Germany.
- Violence & scariness: Intense — Depicts terrorist bombings, shootings, hostage-taking, and other graphic violent acts tied to real historical events.
- Drinking, drugs & smoking: A little — Some depiction of the radical lifestyle of the era, though not a primary focus per the signals.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official R rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like The Baader Meinhof Complex
If you liked The Baader Meinhof Complex, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- Prison Break: The Final Break (2009) — 84%
- Nothing But the Truth (2008) — 76%
- The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) — 85%
- The Amateur (2025) — 78%
- Se7en (1995) — 92%
- John Q (2002) — 79%
- Citizen X (1995) — 80%
- The Post (2017) — 78%
Director
Uli Edel
Cast
- Martina Gedeck as Ulrike Meinhof
- Moritz Bleibtreu as Andreas Baader
- Johanna Wokalek as Gudrun Ensslin
- Nadja Uhl as Brigitte Mohnhaupt
- Stipe Erceg as Holger Meins
- Niels-Bruno Schmidt as Jan Karl Raspe
- Vinzenz Kiefer as Peter-Jürgen Boock
- Simon Licht as Horst Mahler
- Alexandra Maria Lara as Petra Schelm
- Bruno Ganz as Horst Herold
The Baader Meinhof Complex FAQ
Is The Baader Meinhof Complex good?
The Baader Meinhof Complex has a 76% Kernel Score on Fresh Kernels from 642 audience ratings.
Where can I watch The Baader Meinhof Complex?
In the US you can stream The Baader Meinhof Complex on Prime Video, watch it free with ads on Kanopy, Hoopla, Fawesome, The Roku Channel and Pluto TV and rent it from Prime Video and Fandango At Home.
Is The Baader Meinhof Complex OK for kids?
The Baader Meinhof Complex is rated R. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 15+. Parents need to know that The Baader Meinhof Complex is an R-rated historical thriller depicting real-life terrorist attacks and political violence in 1970s Germany.
What movies are like The Baader Meinhof Complex?
If you liked The Baader Meinhof Complex, try Prison Break: The Final Break, Nothing But the Truth, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three and The Amateur.