Review of Funny Games (1997) by Jack H — 11 Nov 2012

'Funny Games' is one of the most provocative films I have ever seen, if not the most. I see what Michael Haneke is trying to do, he's revisiting themes of the media and desensitisation like he did in 'Benny's Video', however this time Haneke is directly confronting his audience about the violence they supposedly watch with relish. The antagonist of the film actually addresses the audience, asking 'Don't you want some plot development?', 'You're on their side, aren't you?' He needlessly injects this nasty film with condescension and pretension, and none of it really works, Haneke only succeeds in appearing smug and self-righteous. Haneke has said that he makes the viewer an 'accomplice' of the murderers. No he doesn't, not at all. Not once did I even begin to want to be an 'accomplice', the antagonists are some of the most wretched I've ever seen, it's nonsense. During the evil mind games that the killers inflict on the family, I felt like them, a victim, not an 'accomplice'. I, like any other viewer, was desperately hoping that the family could somehow escape their captors.

The ill-judged provocation climaxes in a scene where Haneke 'manipulates' the audience, making them 'applaud' violence; but applauding is a completely justified response to the scene, which, without giving anything away, concerns the maiming of a truly reprehensible character. If Hanake himself were in the Anna and Georg's situation, he'd be utterly liberated by what occurs; it is the film's most self-righteous, hypocritical scene. It is obvious that violence can be used accordingly, it is quite often a necessity, and this particular scene is the most appropriate use of violence imaginable. The majority of the violence one witnesses in Film and TV is far removed from reality, people are aware and afraid of the ugly, messy truth of violence, the films that 'Funny Games' tries to chastise serve only as harmless escapism. Haneke seems very pleased with this creation, but he shouldn't be, this rather ambitious film falls flat, achieving in merely riling its audience, not holding a mirror to their faces.

Haneke seems to think he has the viewer in a vice-like grip, and he does, but certainly not in the way he thinks he does, which is 'manipulating' and exposing sick little voyeurs. Instead, he keeps the stranglehold on his audience through his skill for building excruciating tension to the point where the eventual violence, which is never gratuitous, is wholly more potent. It's undeniably powerful, and the acting is unsettlingly good, it's a thoroughly unpleasant, tortuous film. However, if you need reminding of the ugly reality of violence, there are many films out there that will deliver without the pretence.