Filmdienst described the film as an "exciting time travel film" while praising the acting of Lilian Prent and her handling of the protagonist's character arc.
Bild recommended the film, stating, “Finally, a German fantasy film about local legends and myths, and not a cheap Hollywood imitation.” The German film magazine
Cinema, however, slammed the film: "The uneven plot and the cheap effects make the end result look pretty rusty." Among the German press, the most prominent review came from
Süddeutsche Zeitung: “Tommy Krappweis has adapted the first book of his fantasy trilogy of the same name as an action-packed spectacle. It's definitely too intense for six-year-olds, but certainly fun and exciting for older children.”
GameStar said of the film: "
Mara and the Firebringer is hardly a new
Lord of the Rings, but it is a very good family-oriented fantasy film from Germany - and there haven't been many of those since
The NeverEnding Story, more than 30 years ago." Former
ZDF television producer Josef Göhlen praised the film as a positive example of a domestically produced German family film in a
Kressreport article on the subject of the genre: "Anyone who has watched the film with curiosity and without reservation must admit that […] it has succeeded in creating a realistic and at the same time magical story in the modern age with witty dialogue that those of all ages can enjoy, with interesting characters and skillfully staged visual effects [...] - and given that the budget that is so tiny compared to international productions of the same genre one cannot help but applaud the whole undertaking." Due to many in the German film industry echoing his sentiments, two weeks later the magazine published a widely-publicized reply from Tommy Krappweis, in which he described the problems he faced in releasing his film as well as the general difficulties of family and genre films in German cinema. Following the film's failure at the box office, it was promoted on social media and through newsletters from such sources as Ring*Con,
FedCon, Role Play Convention, Fantasy and Roleplay Convention, and many others. The
501st Legion's German Garrison wrote: "A film that deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as, for example,
The NeverEnding Story. A film that is definitely suitable for all ages and is fun for the whole family.” German steampunk forum Clockworker wrote: "The unshakable attention to detail, the use of all available resources - from the sheer imagination and effort put into the fantasy scenes and Krappweis' unique sense of humour - make
Mara and the Firebringer a gem of German genre film production that doesn't have to hide behind Hollywood." However, these efforts were ultimately futile and could not prevent the film from being a
box-office bomb. But when Tommy Krappweis showed the film in a private director's screening at the Role Play Convention later that year, new life was unexpectedly breathed into it. It not only ran twice as long as planned in the cinema tent, but did so in a continuous loop. Although the film is based on the first part of a three-part series, and the possibility of a sequel is hinted at at the end of the film, an actual sequel seems very unlikely due to the film's box-office failure. ==Awards==