I had not read any reviews of this movie when I saw it last night. I came out of the theatre thinking I'd just watched an extremely well-acted, well thought-out movie about evil. This morning I read some of the reviews. I'm astonished at the degree of hostility FUNNY GAMES has generated. Professional critics have leveled a lot of charges against it. One of them said the American family in it was too European. Not only is that a strange reason to knock a movie, it's inaccurate. I've encountered a lot of people who look, talk and act like the family in this film. Some say the violence is gratuitous. If those who say this have watched IN COLD BLOOD, CAPOTE or any of the many movies about Leopold and Loeb, they'll remember that abominable acts take center stage. These are based on real life. If someone wants to call KING LEAR slasher-porn, they may. ("Out vile jelly," anyone?) If FUNNY GAMES, in itself, is a critique of the horror genre, it earns its right to be one, because, through it all, it shows how people menace one another.
Review of Funny Games
