Funny Games that Don't Follow the Rules

As humans we long to find meaning in all things. Perhaps what makes Funny Games (2007) so terrifying is the complete lack of meaning. Other than maybe boredom Paul and Peter give no reason for playing these sick games with the family. In his essay “The Paradox of Horror”, Carrol attempts to discover what draws viewers to the horror genre. One possible reason is that we as viewers get to experience what the characters are feeling without being in any real danger. The problem with this film is that it leaves you more and more unsettled until its end. Then there is nothing. 

Throughout the film Paul continues to break the fourth wall. He often looks directly into the camera and will ask the audience questions. Breaking the fourth wall has become somewhat of a taboo in most movies. There is a clear separation between the fictional film and the reality of the audience that we come to expect. For me personally, Paul continuing to make eye contact made me increasingly uncomfortable and the film itself is extremely off-putting. Most of the more gruesome scenes, such as Georgie’s death, occur off camera and what we get are the reactions of the characters. Obviously Peter and Paul torturing the family is horrendous, but the realization of what Paul’s ability to break the fourth wall means is what makes Funny Games truly terrifying. When Ann finally takes control of the situation and kills Peter with the shotgun, the film finally gets a sense of purpose. As viewers, we expect there to be some sort of triumph at the end. 

Then Paul rewinds the scene. 

Paul is in complete control of the situation. He is all about fairness and playing the game correctly. When Peter breaks the rules and shoots Georgie, Paul chastises him because that isn't how they play. But there is no fairness. Ann and George never even have a chance because Paul has the ability to literally rewind the movie so that he can always win the game. This film is terrifying because there is no meaning behind it. In his essay “Violence + Media”, the director Michael Haneke states that the film is a commentary on violence in the media. He presents a movie that is incredibly violent, but otherwise pointless. The family doesn't stand a chance and Paul doesn’t play by the rules. The horror isn’t our ability to feel what the character’s are feeling as Carrol suggests. The utter meaninglessness of the film and its violence is what makes it true horror.