Movie Notes: Let's Play the Dangerous 'Funny Games' (2007)
Funny Games will not satiate your blood lust but it will make you question your deep perversions.
Ann (Naomi Watts) is vacationing with her husband George (Tim Roth) and son Georgie (Devon Gearheart) in their lake house. Their peaceful vacation was disturbed by two young men Paul (Michael Pitt) and Peter (Brady Corbert) who enters their home in the guise of borrowing a few eggs. They are held hostage and subjected to gruesome and psychological terrors as they bet on their survival.
Parallel to the theme of Knock Knock, Funny Games is a calm and sadistic film. As a thriller flick, it will not satiate the audience's blood lust nor will it scare the wits of anyone. It is more of a commentary in the sense that it is a reflection of us as audiences.
Funny Games gives a bitter aftertaste of reality and reflection with its dark undertone. It made me think the underlying reality that as an audience we have enjoyed to an extent the gore and sadism of watching people brutally tortured or killed even if we know it's all visual effects, in the genre of horror and thrillers.
This movie breaks the fourth wall multiple times through the character of Paul who sometimes address the audience by smirking at the camera. This self awareness of Paul is an important element in the message of the film. This is an allegory of the relationship of cinema and its audience who pay to see these kinds of movies. We want the gore, torture and violence and they are giving it to us as they play the game of terror with the family. It as if he is saying that we as the audience are involved in this torture. This makes the movie meaningful and symbolic.
However, if you want to watch a spine tingling thriller, this movie might be a disappointment or boring for you. So temper your expectations on that part.
3/5 - GOOD Movie.
Photo: Popcornography
You can download Funny Games on iTunes - Funny Games 2007
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