What’s up with Michael Haneke? He is one depressing dude. I gotta give this movie props because it is horrible and vile, but it isn’t disgusting on a visual level. It woulda been easy for him to just shock shock shock but, I’m guessing, that after The Piano Teacher (which, now that time has passed, I realize deserves far higher than a B+) and Funny Games he decided that off-screen might be best. A quiet, painterly movie about war, apocalypse, chaos and death. A little cold, a little slow, maybe even dull here and there, but fascinating.
