Funny Games (US)

Star Review

Peter Wild ponders the worth of the estimable director Michael Haneke's 'latest' work.

When Michael Haneke said that he was going to do an American version of his brilliant 1997 film Funny Games there was bafflement, which was compounded when it transpired that it would be a shot-for-shot remake of the original, albeit with slightly higher production values and the presence of Tim Roth and Naomi Watts. So how does it look? Well, what this remake does do is to serve to remind you what an absolute horror-shock of a movie this is. If you’re new to its premise, all you really need to know is that a nice middle class family have their home invaded by two polite but thoroughly sadistic young men who proceed to torture them physically (nearly all violence is off-screen) and psychologically, treating the whole thing as a game and implicating the viewer along the way.
There is no film quite like this. It’s vicious, cruel and intelligent and certainly not for the faint-hearted, but whether you’re a fan of the original or just in the mood for having your head seriously messed with, Funny Games (US) is a must-see.

Peter Wild on 7th February 2008

View all 55 of Peter Wild’s reviews

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Film Description

Haneke's almost shot-for-shot remake of his famously disturbing film about audience complicity with onscreen depictions of violence is here transplanted to America, where George (Tim Roth), his wife Ann (Naomi Watts), and their young son Georgie, find themselves subjected to a harrowing ordeal when two psychotic killers come calling.

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DVD Extras

• Interviews with Michael Haneke and Cast
• Production notes
• Q & A with Producers Hamish McAlpine and Chris Coen.

Film Details

Director	Michael Haneke
Year	2008
Country	USA

Cast

Tim Roth, Naomi Watts, Michael Pitt, Brady Corbet

Technical Details

Certificate	18
Length	111 mins
Label	HALC
Format	DVD Colour
Region	2
Aspect	1.85:1 widescreen
Cat No	TVD3828
Main Language	English
Subtitles	Subtitles (English)

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