“Funny Games” (2007): An Exhausting Sadistic Parable by Haneke. Film review.

“Funny Games” was a tough movie for me because it evoked a lot of strong and unpleasant emotions, primarily lingering resentment and anger. But since I was so convincingly led to believe what was going on, then the movie is good, right? However, that’s not all: the aftermath of this movie left me with a much more multifaceted impression.

In short, we unwittingly witness the “gentlemanly” assault of a couple of criminals in the style of “A Clockwork Orange” on a well-to-do family in a country house continuing with a series of harrowing “games” (wow, it seems that I really like quotation marks).

I felt indignation because I do not understand such blatant submissiveness of the victim. Sure, temper can’t be chosen, and I don’t blame anyone for anything, but why the fuck do all the family members so obediently comply with all the demands of some two juvenile bastards? Why aren’t there any firearms in the house? Why not run for help when there were so many chances to do so? Why not at least spit in the face of the bastard when things were already bad enough?

I also thought about the social implications, the economic and psychological ones, trying to explain to myself the outrageous things going on in this movie. All this was swirling around in my head until I realized that if you put aside unnecessary speculation and emotion, it is clear that Michael Haneke himself, as well as his characters, are playing a game with the viewer in exactly the same way. This is confirmed by the conversation about the reality of fiction in one of the final scenes, in the boat. If we see something on the screen, empathize with it, and forget about the real world in that moment, why not call the film, that is, fiction, actual reality? Indeed, why not?
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So for being so discreetly involved in these funny games, I applaud.