Review

Funny Games is an unconventional thriller by German writer and director Michael Haneke. The movie follows a mother, father and son vacationing at their lake house when they're interrupted and held hostage by two psychotic young men.

The hostage-takers are strangely sedate in their brutal treatment of the family. The horror of the situation is heightened to epic proportions with Haneke's brilliant direction. You do not see any of the violence; instead, you see the horrible reality. The extremely long shots, the lack of music and the harsh factuality of the scenes make this movie brilliant.

Haneke breaks the "fourth wall" at least twice during this movie. As one character looks and talks directly to the camera and the audience. Another breathtaking scene is a single take which lasts over ten minutes.

These types of directorial choices are far from those which are found in typical Hollywood movies. Haneke purposefully uses non-glamorous portrayals of violence in a direct opposition to Taraninto-style movies and because of this, I think the movie is brilliant - highly recommended.

Prepare for a highly suspenseful yet sickeningly violent, non-Hollywood, edge-of-the-seat piece of art.

Dan Kenyon