Factual sci-fi in second ‘Anatomie’

In September 2000, Columbia released in the U.S. “Anatomie,” an ingenious sci-fi horror thriller and box-office bonanza in Germany starring “Run Lola Run’s” Franka Potente, with scant warning and no press previews. Its even more ambitious sequel, the provocative and scary “Anatomie 2,” is faring better, for it opens today at the Fairfax with DVDs made available to critics for preview.

The first film found Potente as a dedicated medical student at the University of Heidelberg, where her suspicions regarding the death of a friend lead to her discovery of the secret Anti-Hippocratic Society, whose maxim is “Experiment on the few for the good of the many.” By the end of “Anatomie,” Potente has saved lives, including her own, and stirred up a scandal. But skilled writer-director Stefan Ruzowitzky leaves off suggesting that perhaps more will be heard from the Anti-Hippocrats.

After an ominous and gory prologue, “Anatomie 2” opens much like the first film. Dr. Jo Hauser (Barnaby Metschurat) leaves his native Duisberg to become an intern at the prestigious ultra-modern Berlin Clinic. He dreams of dedicating himself to research to find a cure for a muscle ailment that is crippling his younger brother and that has claimed the life of their father. In due time the zealous Jo attracts the attention of famed researcher Dr. Charles Muller-LaRousse (Herbert Knaup), who invites him to join his ultra-secret OP 17 project. It amounts to a simultaneous invitation for Jo to join the Anti-Hippocratic Society.

What makes “Anatomie 2” especially creepy is that Ruzowitzky’s script is actually more science fact than fiction. Muller-LaRousse’s experiments involve artificial muscle implants and other modifications that allow him to manipulate his patients by remote control. With his forceful personality, Muller-LaRousse is turning men into supermen -- and envisions replacing all muscles with implants. He’ll try just about anything, with his devoted acolytes more than willing to serve as guinea pigs. What’s more, it’s all fueled by a lot of addictive drugs.

“Anatomie 2” further explores concerns raised in “Anatomie” about the pressures on medical schools to maintain prestige by winning international prizes as well as research grants from pharmaceutical giants. Whereas the first film made passing reference to the infamous Nazi experimenter Dr. Josef Mengele, Muller-LaRousse is the virtual reincarnation of the medical monster. For his part, Jo Hauser is a more complex character than Potente’s Paula Henning, who returns in this film as a policewoman dedicated to bringing down the Anti-Hippocratic Society, now an international cartel. Paula represents good warring against evil, but because of the medical history of Jo’s family, he is loath to see the downside of his mentor’s experiments.

“Anatomie 2” is sleek and stylish, with impressive scope and scale. The scientific aspects of the story are all too convincing, and the film proceeds with a furious energy that promises to lurch out of control spectacularly in a Walpurgis Night climax. Ruzowitzky allows his film to become progressively more outrageous and is all the more effective as a result, so firm is his grip on all aspects of his production. In the process he inspires his cast, headed by Metschurat’s deeply conflicted Jo, to go the full distance in a closed-off world of spiraling and lethal craziness. “Anatomie 2” is suspenseful entertainment -- but it’s also a suitably chilling cautionary tale.

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‘Anatomie 2’

MPAA rating: R for terror violence/gore, some sexuality and language

Times guidelines: Too intense for children

Barnaby Metschurat... Jo Hauser

Herbert Knaup...Charles Muller-LaRousse

Franka Potente...Paula Henning

Heike Makatsch...Viktoria

Rosie Alvarez...Lee

A Columbia TriStar release of a production of Deutsche Columbia Pictures Filmproduktion and Claussen/Wobke Filmproduktion. Writer-director Stefan Ruzowitzky. Producers Andrea Willson, Jakob Claussen, Thomas Wobke. Cinematographer Andreas Berger. Editor Hans Funck. Music Marius Ruhland. Costumes Nicole Fischnaller. Production designer Ulrika Anderson. SFX make-up designers Eileen Kastner-DeLago, Birger Laube. Make-up effects Magicon, Joachim Gruniger. In German, with English subtitles. Running time: 1 hour, 41 minutes.

Exclusively at the Fairfax Cinemas, Beverly Boulevard at Fairfax Avenue, (323) 655-4010.