Many times, I will detract from a film for lacking a real ending or beginning, because it causes some incoherency in the story (not to mention it is sort of a let down), but when I sat down to watch "Time of the Wolf" I was fairly surprised on its ability to just pick up on a story and keep the momentum going without having to explain much at all.
The name of the game here is subtlety, which is something Michael Haneke understands completely. His use of dialogue and atmosphere tells you whats going on without really saying outright: The world is ending. this is where the film really shines. There isn't much messing around either, strange happens are very apparent early on and seem to keep going until there very end.
When I first heard it was apocalyptic setting, it crossed me as fairly peculiar. Michael Haneke's films, though being sort of surreal at moments, never really dip into the world of fantasy. I was really confused on how a man of his style was going to pull off a theme that was used primarily with big budgets and big special effects. Lo and behold, he pulls it off without a problem. The trick is as old as movies them selves; its not what we see, but what we don't that creates the story. We hear plenty from the different characters, but it is up to us to paint the picture in our head. A sort of practice that has been forgotten in the world of CGI.
Speaking of characters, this film has plenty but don't spend time trying to get to know them. The only characters that you get to see develop is that of the main characters; a mother and her two kids. This lack of strong character structure creates a sort of realism to the film. I don't suspect myself to become acquainted to many folks during the apocalypse and for very good reason. As this movie shows, most of the people that will surround you in the end of days are either thieves, killers, or both and trust is not a luxury one can afford.
Not Haneke's most gripping tale or most violent, but definitely one that deserves a good watch.
The name of the game here is subtlety, which is something Michael Haneke understands completely. His use of dialogue and atmosphere tells you whats going on without really saying outright: The world is ending. this is where the film really shines. There isn't much messing around either, strange happens are very apparent early on and seem to keep going until there very end.
When I first heard it was apocalyptic setting, it crossed me as fairly peculiar. Michael Haneke's films, though being sort of surreal at moments, never really dip into the world of fantasy. I was really confused on how a man of his style was going to pull off a theme that was used primarily with big budgets and big special effects. Lo and behold, he pulls it off without a problem. The trick is as old as movies them selves; its not what we see, but what we don't that creates the story. We hear plenty from the different characters, but it is up to us to paint the picture in our head. A sort of practice that has been forgotten in the world of CGI.
Speaking of characters, this film has plenty but don't spend time trying to get to know them. The only characters that you get to see develop is that of the main characters; a mother and her two kids. This lack of strong character structure creates a sort of realism to the film. I don't suspect myself to become acquainted to many folks during the apocalypse and for very good reason. As this movie shows, most of the people that will surround you in the end of days are either thieves, killers, or both and trust is not a luxury one can afford.
Not Haneke's most gripping tale or most violent, but definitely one that deserves a good watch.