The White Ribbon [Das Weisse Band] (2009) - Film Review

Michael Haneke is the director responsible for such disturbing masterworks as "Funny Games", "The Seventh Continent" and "Cache" (Hidden)... This, I think, is what will be his most respected and celebrated effort yet, for as much as I adore "Funny Games" for its borderline obnoxious jabs at the audience for expecting a more graphically violent and disgusting torture-porn film, and him delivering a more psychologically torturing and effective experience, and as much as I love "The Seventh Continent" for delivering one of the most emotionally harrowing experiences I have ever seen on screen and "Cache" for not fearing to not answer every question asked, this, "The White Ribbon", is a masterpiece... and I don't use the term all that often.

Never before, even in Haneke's previous films, has a certain line, or the slightest allusion to an event been as shattering or powerful, and never before has the smallest amount of violence (and I'm talking the level of a punch) been so effective. It's a masterful effort through and through.

I, along with a few other critics, believe this to be Haneke's attempt to show us the roots and reasons that may be behind Naziism. The film is set on the eve of WWI in a small German village, where evermore strange, violent and horrific acts are taking place. Throughout the course of the film we are given certain clues as to who it could be, and some possible motivation behind it. But the questions are left directly unanswered, and we are forced to make up our own minds about the events.

This film could be by all means a perfect one. Michael Haneke plays us like an orchestra, makes us wince, cringe and ultimately ponder on what actually took place. Not only is it Haneke's best, it may even be the best film of 2009.