Much ink has been devoted to the obvious unsettling and disturbing plot of 'Dogtooth', a father who rules his family by fabricating an alternate reality. However, it seems by taking this story at face value, many reviewers are missing what to me seems obvious: it's an allegory for the absurdity of religion.
Perhaps it helps to have seen Yorgos Lanthimos' other works to understand how he uses satire and artificial constructs to shed light on human predicaments or societal failings. For example, 'The Lobster' isn't really about people who turn into animals if they can't find a partner, it's about the fragility of love and the sacrifices we'll make (or not) to be in a relationship.
Likewise, 'Dogtooth' demonstrates the illogical and arbitrary nature of religious dogma, albeit via an extremely specific and bizarre example. The father could just as easily be a Father of the cloth. The rules of the house are just as strict as the rules of the church, with their own punishments and built-in misogyny. The mythology is just as illogical as any religion, with their own whacky rituals, songs and scripture.
And like religion, the leader will do anything to keep the flock from having any contact with the outside world, lest they be exposed to new ideas that conflict with their world view that allows complete control and easy manipulation. Any deviation from the programme is met with the harshest of punishment.
As Lanthimos' films, outside of 'The Favourite', are certainly more art than simple exposition, perhaps there are other ways to interpret 'Dogtooth'. However, to me, his films seem very well thought out and quite deliberate, so I doubt the inclusions of such direct comparisons was by accident. Regardless, Lanthimos is amongst the top handful of contemporary directors, and I highly recommend this film.
Perhaps it helps to have seen Yorgos Lanthimos' other works to understand how he uses satire and artificial constructs to shed light on human predicaments or societal failings. For example, 'The Lobster' isn't really about people who turn into animals if they can't find a partner, it's about the fragility of love and the sacrifices we'll make (or not) to be in a relationship.
Likewise, 'Dogtooth' demonstrates the illogical and arbitrary nature of religious dogma, albeit via an extremely specific and bizarre example. The father could just as easily be a Father of the cloth. The rules of the house are just as strict as the rules of the church, with their own punishments and built-in misogyny. The mythology is just as illogical as any religion, with their own whacky rituals, songs and scripture.
And like religion, the leader will do anything to keep the flock from having any contact with the outside world, lest they be exposed to new ideas that conflict with their world view that allows complete control and easy manipulation. Any deviation from the programme is met with the harshest of punishment.
As Lanthimos' films, outside of 'The Favourite', are certainly more art than simple exposition, perhaps there are other ways to interpret 'Dogtooth'. However, to me, his films seem very well thought out and quite deliberate, so I doubt the inclusions of such direct comparisons was by accident. Regardless, Lanthimos is amongst the top handful of contemporary directors, and I highly recommend this film.