Funny Games (2008)

A double-bill of Michael Haneke's notoriously provocative home-invasion thriller FUNNY GAMES, its original version and the US shot-by-shot remake made a decade later with a different cast, they are basically the same film, the only noticeable revision is a landline telephone would be plausibly upgraded to a cellphone. Affixing death metal to high-brow classical music, FUNNY GAMES alerts us from the beginning of its irreconcilably conflicting parties in this game of torture and murder: the bourgeois nuclear family (emblazoned by their lakeside holiday residence and a private boat) versus two white-gloves-sporting, acedia-afflicted young psychopaths (whose backgrounds are completely in the shadows). It is very interesting to watch how genteel etiquette disintegrates into hostility on a moment's notice, and how it becomes a fortune to hostage if one is that prone to irritability yet not cautious enough to the consequences, although what is blatantly shocking is the want of clear motive behind these two amoral young men, who wallow in inflicting sadism and cruelty to innocent people, and are dangerously masked by a normal and friendly appearance. But after watching the same story twice (not recommended though), a viewer may sense something perniciously self-serving in the scene nearly the beginning, the couple can be cautioned by their friend (aka. the previous hostage), a warning out of desperation might not be a game-changer to overcome the perpetrators (who are in possession of a rifle), but at least, they can try to fight back and very likely break the vicious circleAlso one can second-guess that in lieu of complete resignation, the wife could have shown some bravura by jumping onto their neighbor's departing boat in the eleventh hour only if she knew it would be her last chance. To mitigate the ill-feeling stemmed from audience's emotional investment of the beleaguered family, Haneke opts for a novel schtick by allowing one of the young wrongdoer Paul (Frisch/Pitt) to occasionally break the 4th wall and even play God with a remote control when an unpremeditated accident croaking his companion, archly takes audience away from their heinous act and nattering hogwash, renders a refreshing sensation of levity, which is a crying reprieve at that point of the narrative (after sending both a dog and a child to meet their makers out of Haneke's convention-defying obduracy). The film is violent no doubt, but mercifully we are spared from witnessing direct simulation of killing save its grisly aftermath, and it is fire and brimstone for the two leads, in the earlier version, the late Susanne Lothar and Ulrich Mühe (who became a couple in real life after making this film) stupendously put themselves through the wringer of distress, terror and despair, command onerous brawn against physical hindrance (including in a challenging long take lasting more than ten minutes), and Lothar notably drains all her energy into a traumatized state that's too disturbing to look twice. The same impression is ineluctably blunted in the remake, due to the vanishing thrill of reiteration, nevertheless Naomi Watts, undergoes the same ordeal with equally gutsy virtuosity but less apparel.On the villain parts, a wide-eyed Michael Pitt totally and literally pales in comparison with Arno Frisch, whose bumptious self-assurance is simultaneously gnawing and sinister, whereas Frank Giering and Brady Corbet both make a good accomplice who is unpleasantly effete and morbidly creepy. Teasing with the line between reality and fiction, the sick underside of human frailties often overlooked by the prim and the proper, Haneke's succès-de-scandale is not for faint-hearted but an anglophone remake made in facsimile betrays his eagerness to unleash the bane on those subtitle-eschewing English-speaking Americans, a bespoke commodity speaks volumes of his faintly veiled intention.

7 1/2Haneke makes a movie in which the genre clichèes don't apply ( they get twisted in reality) and that's high praise. It's also a movie that doesn't take itself too seriously, and admits more than once that it's fiction we're looking at. Although the intentions are admirable and clearly conveyed, even if it's beautifully shot, the movie is not the easiest to follow as it is very slow paced, in contrast with the type of story portrayed.

The key to enjoying this film is understanding it is its own genre. In America, we have heroes like Bruce Willis and Superman who come in with a big gun and leave us feeling empowered over evil. While I have no real idea what the director was going for here, I will say it's different from what we're used to in a thriller/horror like this.People all must have a place where they connect shouldn't they? Actually, not all people. Sociopaths kill with no empathy. Some of the biggest thriller blockbusters have had killers like these: ie; Hannibal Lecter, Ed Gein, Se7en, and such. These show us killers with no remorse and certainly no regard for human life. Why do we love these films so much? That's another post.I didn't just squirm in my seat watching this film, I writhed. Naomi Watts is always an amazing actress in her films and her name appears in the credits as an executive producer. That means she was really invested in getting this American version made. I would caution viewers against looking for deeper meaning. I think that will end up in a dead end. Still, it is one of those films that leaves you so UNsatisfied according to modern conventions that you almost want to communicate your thoughts with another human after seeing it. My wife and I were yelling at the screen several times. So,e stuff we just could not believe we'd seen.Is it always the job of American films to satisfy us? That is an interesting question I think. I say no. We should have films occasionally that make us feel uncomfortable. We should question our comfort in a media driven culture. Once again, I have no idea what the director meant by this film but I think I am getting warm with this thought. Fans of torture horror and thrillers go see it!

This is going to be a very simple review - Funny Games might just be the worst movie I have ever seen. And this makes no sense because - Tim Roth...outstanding - Naomi Watts...great - the movie...terrible waste of time. Save yourself and just watch something...anything else. You will be happy that you made any other choice what so ever.