This is one of those movies that pisses you off. You come in expecting one thing and get something else entirely.
Funny Games is a remake of a 1997 Austrian film of the same name. By the synopsis on imdb.com, it seems to be the exact same movie. Not shocking considering the writer and director of both is the same guy, Michael Haneke.
I'd like to suggest to Mr. Haneke that he find employment elsewhere because his directoral style is garbage, and while I'll concede there is an interesting concept here (not the overall one, but the idea of these two men doing what they're doing, until it becomes so stupid it's painful to watch), it's horribly executed. No offense.
This film is a "How To" on bad pacing.
Scene after scene is filled with unnatural dialogue, particularly with the long pauses between statements from one character to another.
It's funny, no pun intended, because during the initial scene of the movie, the audience is supposed to notice odd behavior from a neighbor like the main actors do. The problem is that due to the halting style of dialogue, a normal person can't tell that there is anything weird about the conversation.
What happens on camera is another crime. Scene after mind numbingly boring scene are shown where absolutely nothing occurs. I mean NOTHING. No action, no sex, no plot development, nothing. The movie is sprinkled with scenes that vary in length where is simply shows whatever character going about their routine or responding to someone else going through their routine. For example: There is a scene in which you get to watch a character watch TV. This lasts for about 2 minutes.
Oh, and you don't get to see any of the action, violence, etc. that you rented this "horror" movie for, because it all takes place off camera.
But see, that's the point of the film according to certain folks lurking on the imdb.com forum. Some of the more pretentious dipshits over there, who want to see a higher meaning in all films rather than taking a film for face value, claim Mr. Haneke made this film as a joke on the audience. It basically mocks the person who is watching it. Taunting them by being boring and showing nothing on camera. It's supposed to make us think about how the various forms of media (news, movies, papers, the net, etc.) all affect us and train us on what we should expect of things or some horseshit like that.
Yes Mr. Haneke, I'm brainwashed because when I rent a horror movie, I expect to see horror. When I rent a comedy, I expect to laugh. When I rent a porno, I expect to see your mother getting cornholed. Etc.
There's a really bad scene towards the end of the film with the antagonists talking that supposedly explains this all, but the sound quality is horrible and, to be honest, I couldn't care less about what they're saying. I guarantee it's complete and utter garbage. Trying to have your main characters explain the landfill that is your movie towards its end reeks of bad writing and direction.
Here's a few spoilers written backwards:
-enon fo siht si laer. ylsuoires. I wonk, tihsesroh thgir?
-eht "dael" rellik sklat ot eht aremac ekil sirref gnikcuf relleub.
-ni eno enecs eht dael rellik sesu eht VT etomer ot dniwer emit.
That last one just boggles the mind.
To the fucking losers on imdb.com with the opinion that this is a misunderstood art house flick, move out of your parents' basements and get a fucking job. At no point is a movie with the goal of boring or intentionally deceiving its audience in this way worthy of anyone's respect or admiration.
The pure fact is that Michael Haneke made a deception in the form of a really badly directed and written film that he marketed as a suspenseful thriller. A big joke on the movie going audience. The joke, however, turns out to be on him as he is revealed to everyone as having no talent whatsoever.
As a forum poster on imdb.com put it: "If this thing was so well written and directed, why is it that so many people are coming here to find out what the film was about?"
An absolutely brilliant observation.
One last note on Mr. Haneke's writing, the protagonists here are about as brainless as they come. They way they get themselves into the situation in the first place is painful to watch. Nobody who lives in the middle of nowhere, with no backup, and with your family in danger acts the way Tim Roth does here. Nobody. The theme is continued throughout the movie as they do nothing to resolve their situation. How's that for realism for you? Two parents do NOTHING to try and save their lives or the life of their child. Yeah, great writing...
As for the actors, Tim Roth mailed this one in. I've never seen him give a worse performance. The two killers were ok, but nothing memorable. Their mannerisms were supposed to make them frightening, but they broke character far too often to be effective. Shockingly, there was some good in the film in the form of Naomi Watts' performance. She was fantastic, and considering the source material, she should get a fucking Oscar. The kid who played her son was also pretty decent, although I'm pretty sure at one point I saw him smiling when he shouldn't have been.
I can only recommend this to people who liked Plan 9 From Outer Space simply because it was so bad.
And judging from the number of copies on the shelves every time I've at the video store, I'd say the majority of people are doing just that.
3 out of 10. (2 points for Naomi's performance and 1 point for having a mildly interesting concept, at least at the start...)
Funny Games
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Edited By TheCatt on 1216060264
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[color=#D4DEE9]This is a spoiler.[/color]Edited By TheCatt on 1216060264
It's not me, it's someone else.
Are you saying I can't make you work for it?
yzal dratsab
But seriously, thanks.
Edited By Leisher on 1216060044
yzal dratsab
But seriously, thanks.
Edited By Leisher on 1216060044
“Activism is a way for useless people to feel important, even if the consequences of their activism are counterproductive for those they claim to be helping and damaging to the fabric of society as a whole.” - Dr Thomas Sowell