“Hidden”-Movie Review
I feel I have gotten into a pattern of reviewing movies that I attend. Consequently, I would not want to miss reviewing ” Hidden“. The film is by french director Michael Haneke and stars Daniel Auteuil (who plays Georges) and Juliette Binoche (in the role of Anne).
I must place a warning at this point. Although it is not a film that would classically be considered interactive, no need to SMS your answer at any point, it does require a great deal of audience participation. Not since “Memento” starring Guy Pierce have I been so intrigued by a film. The difference is that I felt Memento had very real and clear answers where as I believe the analysis of Hidden is less obvious and more open to interpretation.
The film begins with an opening shot of a typical middle class area, focused on a particular house. The opening credits role through slowly and seem to be more intriguing than anything else happening in the scene. Suddenly lines appear, and voices start speaking over the image. We soon realise that we have been whatching a video tape along with the two characters. The couple found the tape outside their door and are whatching it. The tape appears to be a surveliance of their home. They are not able to make much sense of the tape, nor are we. This is the first of sevral tapes sent to the home by an anonymous stalker, some of the tapes are also accomponied by scary child like drawings.
At first glance we are led to beleive this is a suspense film, a film belonging to the “who dun it” genre. This would be a mistake, a possible trap set by the film maker to weed out those who consideres “not on the same level”. There is almost a beaguie attitude to his film making. He wants you to understand that films are about thinking and possibly shedding light on world circumstances.
As the film progresses we realise the question of “who dun it” is insignificant. What is importnat is the character study and the apparent break down of the family unit in the film. Many questions arise with few concreat answerws. There is a brief scene where Anne seeks comfort from her friend and boss. She confides in him at a coffee table and he embraces her. That is all we see. However, her son then accuses her of having an affair. Are they? More questions arise.
Gearges is the centreal character, and through his interaction with child hood demons, issues of racisim and political conduct we are forced to really look into his character and actions. Are we guility of some similar transgressions in our own lives.
My only problem with the film was the marketing. The poster tells you that all is revealed in the final scene. A big hoo haa is made about the last scene and looking to the left side of the screen( I was actually sitting far right in the cinema and missed it). My point however is, that the marketers are trying to indicate there is an answer, they are trying to say it is a “who dun it” film. Whether you see the magic in the last scene or not does not change the story one tiny bit!!!!
