Synopsis: Two psychopathic young men take a family hostage in their cabin.
Quick Review: I can’t believe I actually wasted almost 2 hrs of my time on this patronizing, self-satisfied exercise in style.
Love him or hate him, Michael Haneke’s movies won’t leave you indifferent. So. kudos for him to create a movie that will have many people talk.
Since I haven’t seen the original movie I won’t be commenting on it but apparently the US version does not differ in any ways in terms of script and direction.
While I have to praise the actors for their work (Naomi Watts has found her best role yet and Michael Pitt is just delightfully creepy despite his angelic face) and, to some extent, Haneke’s quite brilliant camera work, I can’t go past the obnoxious 4th wall break and the whole hypocrisy of the proceedings.
Haneke wants us to believe Funny Games has a purpose behind the psychological and physical torture of this family. But it is just your typical torture movie disguised in art.
People can criticize movies such as I Spit on Your Grave or You’re Next all they want, but those movies aren’t pretending to be something they aren’t. They give us what we expect without judging us, the audience.
Funny Games is just an empty shell of a movie who wants to shock its viewers while making them feel guilty for doing so. Shame on you Mr Haneke.
My Rating: 4/10
Director: Michael Haneke
Origin: US
