Funny Games (C- or 1.5/4 stars)
There's nothing funny about 'Funny Games', a brutal thriller written & directed by Michael Haneke. It's an exact replica of his German film of the same title. Two articulate, but psychotic young men take an upper middle class family hostage in their summer lake house. That's the premise. And while the execution of that premise is very well done, it's not entertaining, at all. It's actually what I'd call purposeful non-entertainment. I have a hard time recommending it to anybody.
Before I begin my critique, it's important to know that this movie was made with the intent in mind to deconstruct the way violence is portrayed in the media. It's an 'exploration' of how violence dictates how our culture/society runs. In other words, it's made to show not only how Hollywood sanitizes their horror films (for some purpose), but also, to show how WE, as audiences, can't tear our faces away from life's atrocities ... even if we want to. It's almost a simultaneous slam on Hollywood, on the media, and on us; if we choose to oblige any of those. I'm certainly not offended, I just hate the 'intent'. Moving on ...
The movie opens with us meeting Anna (Naomi Watts), George (Tim Roth), & their son Georgie (Devon Gearhart) driving up to their summer cabin for an idyllic holiday. They stop by a neighbor's house, holler across the gate, & see that they're entertaining company; 2 young men all dressed in white. The interactions btwn. the family in the car & the neighbors on their property feels odd; but the family thinks nothing of it & proceeds to their pristine, sanitized lake house. You know the drill, they unload the car, put groceries away, get their boat in the water, etc.. This is when Peter (Brady Corbet, one of the 2 men dressed in white) stops by & asks to borrow some eggs. He's polite, but awkward enough in Anna's presence that she'd like him to just take the eggs and scram.
Before long, Paul (an annoying & creepy Michael Pitt) joins the 2 of them. He's polite at first, but a sense of dread is building within Anna. And by the time her husband shows up, the unsettling situation at hand has gotten away from Anna. The 2 men break George's leg with one of his nearby golf clubs, and the family is taken captive. We never find out 'why' they're doing this (seemingly to the whole neighborhood). It appears that they're only doing what they're doing for sick pleasure. After tying up the family, they decide to play some 'funny games' with them. Funny to the sickos, horrific to the captives. All night long a series of bizarre, provocative, dangerous games (mental & physical) commence; all leading to an inevitable & miserable ending.
You know, there's very little blood, little gore, lots of talking, & lots of static shots (nothing is going on; we're just observers) ... not much for horror fans to sink their teeth into. And there aren't any hot chicks fleeing from their pursuer down dark alleys, either. That leaves a small audience to watch this, or who'd 'want' to watch it. You know, reviewing this is a bit of a dilemma because the film is technically competent; in all areas. Cinematically, it tells a story (though it's bleak & nihilistic). There's a beginning (which is wonderful at setting the stage and creating suspense), a middle, & an end. The acting is great. The cinematography is stellar. The director is successful at making us feel uncomfortable, etc.. B rating for all of that plus an F for entertainment value earns this a C-/1.5 star rating in my book.
Because the film is good at pushing our buttons, it makes the sickening ending (and the way it's told) almost unforgivable. Psychologically, the family onscreen AND us are put through the ringer ... only to have nothing positive come of it. Nothing fun. Just depression. But to be honest, perhaps the main aspect of the film that causes it's undoing is that its actually BORING. After the fine first half hour, it gets manipulative, pretentious (Michael Pitt talks to the screen as if we're in on his sadistic pleasures) pointless, & boring. 'Funny Games' toys with the family, it toys with us, but it's never overly interesting.
Before I begin my critique, it's important to know that this movie was made with the intent in mind to deconstruct the way violence is portrayed in the media. It's an 'exploration' of how violence dictates how our culture/society runs. In other words, it's made to show not only how Hollywood sanitizes their horror films (for some purpose), but also, to show how WE, as audiences, can't tear our faces away from life's atrocities ... even if we want to. It's almost a simultaneous slam on Hollywood, on the media, and on us; if we choose to oblige any of those. I'm certainly not offended, I just hate the 'intent'. Moving on ...
The movie opens with us meeting Anna (Naomi Watts), George (Tim Roth), & their son Georgie (Devon Gearhart) driving up to their summer cabin for an idyllic holiday. They stop by a neighbor's house, holler across the gate, & see that they're entertaining company; 2 young men all dressed in white. The interactions btwn. the family in the car & the neighbors on their property feels odd; but the family thinks nothing of it & proceeds to their pristine, sanitized lake house. You know the drill, they unload the car, put groceries away, get their boat in the water, etc.. This is when Peter (Brady Corbet, one of the 2 men dressed in white) stops by & asks to borrow some eggs. He's polite, but awkward enough in Anna's presence that she'd like him to just take the eggs and scram.
Before long, Paul (an annoying & creepy Michael Pitt) joins the 2 of them. He's polite at first, but a sense of dread is building within Anna. And by the time her husband shows up, the unsettling situation at hand has gotten away from Anna. The 2 men break George's leg with one of his nearby golf clubs, and the family is taken captive. We never find out 'why' they're doing this (seemingly to the whole neighborhood). It appears that they're only doing what they're doing for sick pleasure. After tying up the family, they decide to play some 'funny games' with them. Funny to the sickos, horrific to the captives. All night long a series of bizarre, provocative, dangerous games (mental & physical) commence; all leading to an inevitable & miserable ending.
You know, there's very little blood, little gore, lots of talking, & lots of static shots (nothing is going on; we're just observers) ... not much for horror fans to sink their teeth into. And there aren't any hot chicks fleeing from their pursuer down dark alleys, either. That leaves a small audience to watch this, or who'd 'want' to watch it. You know, reviewing this is a bit of a dilemma because the film is technically competent; in all areas. Cinematically, it tells a story (though it's bleak & nihilistic). There's a beginning (which is wonderful at setting the stage and creating suspense), a middle, & an end. The acting is great. The cinematography is stellar. The director is successful at making us feel uncomfortable, etc.. B rating for all of that plus an F for entertainment value earns this a C-/1.5 star rating in my book.
Because the film is good at pushing our buttons, it makes the sickening ending (and the way it's told) almost unforgivable. Psychologically, the family onscreen AND us are put through the ringer ... only to have nothing positive come of it. Nothing fun. Just depression. But to be honest, perhaps the main aspect of the film that causes it's undoing is that its actually BORING. After the fine first half hour, it gets manipulative, pretentious (Michael Pitt talks to the screen as if we're in on his sadistic pleasures) pointless, & boring. 'Funny Games' toys with the family, it toys with us, but it's never overly interesting.