Das Messer im Wasser

For someone who had just gotten out of school and had little experience, Polanski created an impressive film that can be classified as a psychological drama, with a minimal budget. Polanski only needed three actors, a boat, a deserted lake, and two excessively developed male egos to create an impressive atmosphere. Plot-wise, the film is not remarkable, but the dialogues and acting are memorable. Above all, Knife in the Water clearly showed Polanski's potential in the world of cinema. Overall impression: 65%. (11.10.2009)

This film clearly shows Polanski’s talent at generating tension between characters merely through inventive staging and the composition of sound. Unfortunately, the exposition is very long and the moment shit should get real and the previous events are supposed to become a psychological inferno the expectations remain unmet. It would take Polanski a little time to make truly great movies. 65% (13.07.2020)

Solo for two men, one woman and one sailboat. Roman Polanski proves that it only takes a little to make a great film, which was graced with an Oscar nomination. (02.06.2002)

Perhaps it could be said that Roman Polanski is the exemplary master of minimalism, which of course he proves in his later work. The concept of his first film directly encourages it – three actors in a very limited space and a concept that is truly almost theatrical. Being "closed in" on that lake creates an interestingly oppressive atmosphere and deepens the psychological depth of the film. The beginning is rather lukewarm, but once the "macho" dialogue starts to gradually escalate, the whole film picks up momentum and offers an open-ended but (at least for me) quite enjoyable ending. Polanski and his first example of pure craftsmanship. (05.10.2013)