Snap Review of “The White Ribbon”

Nick Ondras — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 07:30:24 +0000

The White Ribbon was originally filmed in color, however when director Michael Haneke took a look in the editing room, he stripped the movie of all pigments. Smart move. The White Ribbon certainly benefits from its policeman tones, even better in establishing a macabre pre-World War 1 German setting.
I’ll admit, I don’t know much about Michael Haneke other than he’s the beloved director of the 1997 twisted horror Funny Games. With The White Ribbon, he creates a different kind of cache. Haters will rank on the movie’s slow pacing and awkward character interactions, but this guy praises its ability to entice the viewer into constantly craving more and more of its overall bleak assertion.
The White Ribbon is itself an example of phenomenal symbolism. In the movie, a father ties white ribbons on his children, thinking that this will keep them righteous and free of sin. The unclear minute village just north of Germany adds to the story’s psychotic overtone. At the root of it, The White Ribbon is a smart and suspenseful crime caper. One that will stay with you long after every work Haneke will ever make; the alarming belief will engrave itself in the back of your mind.

See this movie!

4 out of 5 stars.

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Snap Review of “The White Ribbon”