The Baader Meinhof Complex follows the formation, rise, and eventual downfall of the Red Army Faction (RAF), a radical left-wing militant group in Germany. The film starts with the radicalization of Andreas Baader, a petty criminal who becomes involved in the left-wing student movement in Berlin. Baader eventually forms a group with Ulrike Meinhof, a prominent journalist who becomes sympathetic to their cause, and Gudrun Ensslin, a passionate activist.
As the RAF becomes more violent and extreme in their actions, including bank robberies, bombings, and assassinations, the German government launches a massive manhunt to capture the group's leaders. The film also explores the interactions between the RAF and other radical groups, as well as the complexities of their relationships with their supporters and the media.
The tension reaches a climax during the "Deutschen Herbst" (German Autumn) of 1977, when the RAF kidnaps Hanns Martin Schleyer, a prominent industrialist, in exchange for the release of their imprisoned members. The film culminates in a dramatic showdown between the RAF members and the police, leading to the deaths of several key figures in the group.
Overall, The Baader Meinhof Complex provides a gripping and intense portrayal of the violent and tumultuous era in German history known as the "German Autumn", and the radical ideologies that drove the RAF to commit acts of terrorism in the name of their cause.