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The Buchtelite

The Editorially Independent Voice of The University of Akron

The Buchtelite

The Editorially Independent Voice of The University of Akron

The Buchtelite

'Funny Games' isn't funny

“You shouldn’t forget the importance of entertainment. Those too-true words were spoken by one of our friendly neighborhood sociopaths bent on the torturous murders of a vacationing family of three. Few movies have moved me to tears. Few have left me rolling on the floor in hysterical laughter.”

You shouldn’t forget the importance of entertainment.

Those too-true words were spoken by one of our friendly neighborhood sociopaths bent on the torturous murders of a vacationing family of three.

Few movies have moved me to tears.

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Few have left me rolling on the floor in hysterical laughter.

Few have inspired such a gut reaction that suppressing my upchuck reflex was a chore. 

Michael Haneke’s Funny Games was pretty close to succeeding across the board.

Set at a lake house destination, Anne (Naomi Watts), George (Tim Roth) and Georgie (Devon Gearhart) arrive for a weekend of boating, golfing and socializing with the other yuppie residents of this gated community.

But their vacation is cut short by the unexpected arrival of the white-gloved antagonists.

After a few scripted mishaps with a carton of eggs, the cordial requests turn sour and the games begin.

For fear of spoiling the next hour and half of terror, I shall not disclose any more details of the plot.

2008’s Games is a shot-by-shot remake of the 1997 film of the same name.

Originally filmed in Austria, the original version was the spawn of Haneke’s twisted vision as well. From everything from the house sets used in the ’97 version to the runtime, Haneke took care to recreate his film for American audiences.

In the hands of less seasoned talent, the roles of Anne and George may have fallen into mediocrity, but the experience of Roth and Watts kept these roles afloat, even in moments when the scenes grew tedious and awkward.

Young Gearhart also provided stirring emotion to the young boy, faced with horrors far beyond his years.

But perhaps the most emotive performances come from our sociopathic young men, Peter and Paul.

While their high and moderately femme voices are a bit exasperating, both Brady Corbet and Michael Pitt provide a grating detestability to their roles.

Overly genial and frustratingly forthcoming, even while holding the barrel of a shotgun to an 11-year-old’s head, both men illuminate the screen, inspiring a feeling of revulsion for them and compassion for this family.

The movie’s pacing is a bit uneven at times. It makes the audience to endure watching the victims struggle in silence, breaking the hush with grunts and moans of pain and agony.

While this can be effective in moderation, as any filmmaking technique can be, repetition of this form at 5-10 minutes at a time grows wearying.

While only mildly distracting, the supporting characters of the neighbors and friends appear stoic and rehearsed.

Against the backdrop of such power in the leading roles, these auxiliary roles seem like cardboard cutouts delivering lines in forced conversation.  

Aside from mild setbacks, the reel rolls on, unveiling each new game to be played by our trio of victims. While as sadistic as many of the stories that litter the Saw quadrilogy, Games plays it tamer, focusing on the psychological thrills rather than gross-out gratuitous gore.

The haunting amusements of our two adversaries play out on screen with an air of twisted mania. If searching for a well-crafted thriller that will humor, frighten and utterly appall you, then on March 14, let the Games begin.

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