Review of Dogtooth (2009) by Syrian S — 11 Aug 2011

Well Giorgos Lanthimos' Dogtooth is one of those uncomfortable film that I have no thoughts of seeing a second time. It's what some people like to categorize as a black comedy. It's as bizarre and unpleasant as Todd Solondz' Happiness. A series of shocking events.

This is the story about three young adults siblings (around 18 to 25) two sisters and one brother, who have been kept inside a mansion with a big garden and a swimming pool since the day they where born. They are totally isolated from the world outside. Their parents are the once who teach them every thing, and tells them that the world outside are dangerous. The only person outside the family, Christina, is taken into their little world, she is blindfolded when the father drives her to their home where she performs sexual favors for his son. Because she's an outsider, it might make frictions in the children's perfectly routined and unchangeable state of mind.

Dogtooth is a good psychoanalysis of people trying to play god, and people's fear of changes. Thought the kids are full grown ups in body, doesn't mean they are responsible and intelligent. They haven't change since they where three years old. They ask a lot of questions like all children does. They don't know the consequences of their actions, one example is when one of the sister sticks a knife into her brothers arm for no reason. Some times they even hurts themselves. It even occur to me how dangerous they would be on the outside, to others and to themselves. And worst of all, is that there are even some sibling love in the air.

Dogtooth is not a movie you must chose that easily without reading the cover, least it will ease the pain. But if you are a person like me who never reads the cover without reading cover, you might get a shocking experience. I give Dogtooth a thumbs up.