On DVD: Funny Games -- Not Funny, Not a Game
This think piece, starring Tim Roth and Naomi Watts, about the glorification of violence never actually tells any story at all.
'Funny Games' on DVD -
Warner Home Video
Have you ever watched a really good film, a well-thought-out film, a spectacularly executed film that accomplishes everything it sets out to do ... that you hated so much that you never wanted to see another single frame of it ever again? For me, that's Funny Games. Despite its description and appearance, this film -- director Michael Haneke's 2008 shot-for-shot remake of his 1997 Austrian horror film Funny Games -- is not, by my definition, a horror film. It is not in any way a psychological thriller. It is an art film, a bizarre experiment that intends not to thrill the audience, but to disturb, annoy, aggravate and ultimately get under your skin. Moody, brash and audacious, this is a film exclusively for those who enjoy art for the sake of art. You will not enjoy this. You are not meant to. It is a think piece about the glorification of violence, both in our society and on screen, and never attempts to tell the story it pretends to. Funny Games is about a well-to-do family -- George (Tim Roth), his wife Ann (Naomi Watts), their young son Georgie (Devon Gearheart), and their dog -- spending a week's vacation at their summer house on a lake populated by other wealthy families. Enter two mysterious strangers (Michael Pitt and Brady Corbet), a pair of psychopaths intent on playing a series of games that involve torturing, maiming and possibly killing the family for nothing more than their own amusement. Unbeknownst to the audience, the film is not actually about the family. Michael Pitt is the main character, three times breaking the famed "fourth wall" by talking to us -- the audience -- and asking who we're rooting for. It is these brief and fleeting moments that explain and get us thinking about the film's theme and message. Unfortunately for us, these moments only punctuate long stretches of sparse dialogue and action, which include a 10-minute sustained shot in which we watch the family escape from their bonds and crawl across their living room floor, in real time. There's actually about 20 minutes of movie here, stretched out to an hour and a half just to make you feel awkward and uncomfortable. And I, for one, never enjoy films that set out to do that. I certainly appreciate what Haneke is doing with his English language remake of his original Austrian version, but I hated almost every moment of watching it. The biggest crime comes late in the third act when he actually suspends the laws of storytelling to take the one thrilling moment in the whole film and turn it on its ear in a way you never thought you'd see in a serious film. Warner Home Video's Funny Games DVD comes with no extra features. Not so much as a trailer or a commentary track. It would appear that this is one of those films in which the director felt the film spoke for itself. And while it does, it might disappoint fans of this endeavor. I get what he was doing here, and I appreciate the level of competence displayed in the acting, cinematography, and execution of the message. But I hated the film, pure and simple. And I'll never watch it again. This one is only recommended for those folks who enjoy film as an art form and like off-kilter, cerebral cinema. Most Popular Stories
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