Shawn's Funny Games Review

2008 Movie #45 - Funny Games

This movie is without a doubt going to be my toughest review to write so far. I can't even verbally express my opinion on this movie, let alone in written form. I was worried I wouldn't get to see this one since it was playing in such limited release. However one of my local theatres got it and I got to check it out. Am I glad? Well, for the most part yes I am. I'm going to try very hard not to spoil anything, which is going to be hard but here goes nothing.

This movie is the absolute definition of a love it or hate it kind of movie. In fact it's almost dead even on rottentomatoes right now. Many people are going to dismiss it as nothing more than another movie in the long line of torture films, going for pure shock value and nothing more. However this movie has a lot more going on than just shocking the audience for the hell of it. Is it hard to watch? Oh god yes. It's almost constantly making the audience uncomfortable with whats going on. I mean when it comes down to it, the movie really is 90 minutes of a family going through hell and being tortured. There's no white light or bright area, it's constant abuse in the worst ways imaginable.

This movie is one that needs to be seen with someone else so that you can discuss it afterwards. Our post movie discussion made me realize a lot about the movie I hadn't even noticed myself. It's quite clear that the whole thing is a comment on movie audience's obsession with watching violence, torture and generally people being killed in horrible ways. I mean why do the Saw movies do so well? Unlike movies like Untraceable and the Condemned (both movies tried to relay a similar message), this one does so in a non-hypocritical way. It's constantly toying with the audience, as well as their expectations with this kind of movie.

For example, none of the violence happens on screen. A lot of absolutely, despicable acts happen in this movie, but we never see any of them. The one thing we do see happen in front of us is the only bit of violence that can be considered satisfying, but then we have it immediatly taken away from us. This movie knows what the audience expects/wants and absolutely refuses to give it to us. Watch the movie and you'll see exactly what I mean.

Another example, it knows the audience wants a motive for why these people are doing what they're doing. Again, we never get it. We're told motives, then told they're complete bullshit. We never find out why this is happening, and it makes things that much more horrifying to witness. The killers even go as far as to break the 4th wall, bringing the audience into their terrible acts and making us a part of them. All of it comes back to the theme of toying with the audience, killing their expecations and hopes, as well as commenting on the fact that we're sick bastards for deep inside, wanting to see these acts played out.

The acting is phenomenal by everyone. There is really only 5 central cast members in the whole thing but they all do a great job, especially Naomi Watts and Tim Roth. There is one shot in this movie that plays out for at least 7 or 8 minutes and never once cuts that shows just how great these two actors are. The two killers are also great and effectively creepy.

When we were leaving this movie you can hear the mixed reactions of the crowd. One person said it was amazing, another said it was "fucked", another said it was boring. I'm willing ot bet the guy who found it boring was expecating everyhthing that the movie didn't give him and danced around the whole time. I'm hesistant to recommend this movie because I know many people will hate it with every fibre of their being. I do think it's something that should be experienced though because it's rare these days to see something different and this movie definitely qualifies.

****/5