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*SPECIAL EARLY REVIEW*

After leaving the advance screening for critics of "Funny Games," I was sure of two things: 1) I had just watched what could possibly be the most controversial and divisive film of the year and 2) I had also just watched, what this filmgoer believes, is a perfectly constructed film that is currently holding the number one spot on 2008's very early best of the year list.

Wow.  I remember last fall, while watching a trailer for "No Country For Old Men," that boasted critical praise (deservedly), reading one of the titlecards that read: "One Hell Of A Film."  No offense to Javier Bardem's monster in "No Country," but he doesn't hold a candle to the horrfic duet of Paul and Peter (played by Michael Pitt and Brady Corbet).  If "No Country" was hell then "Funny Games" is the apocalypse.

Now, I haven't seen Director Michael Haneke's original 1997 film "Funny Games" of which the new version is an exact duplicate of (except in English), but I have seen and own a copy of his "Caché"--as is the situation for many American critics.  That film, a quiet psychological thriller whose villain is a largely unseen voyeur, was a triumph in that its placid camera style actually fueled the screen full of tension.  Usually, thrillers need quick jumpcuts, zooms, close-ups, etc. to provoke an uneasiness, or sense of terror.  That film and this new "Funny Games" has the advantage of being under Haneke's wicked and articulate direction.  Many of the murders in "Games" happen offscreen.  We never see anyone get stabbed or shot.  We just hear it, and usually the gory sounds are accompanied by cold medium shots of someone who is either watching or is in the next room.

This film is going to rattle you.  I've been home for about six hours now and it's taken me that long to muster up the gut to try and write a review that can celebrate the film's genius without making you think it's an arthouse snuff film.  I'm pretty sure the naysayers who will despise the film when it released (on March 14) will call it snuff, or complete chaos.  In fact, upon leaving the auditorium earlier today, I passed by a couple of critics standing in the hallway and this is what I overheard: "How can she [Naomi Watts] make that? She was the executive producer, though I can't see what compelled her to want to tell this story..."

Yes, Naomi Watts was very much involved with the production. Aside from producing she is also the star (though it's not a glamorous role seeing that she is mostly in her sweaty bra and underwear for most of its run).  Obviously Watts, along with Haneke, believed the film could work (and it does).  I guess the best way to explain other critics' contempt with the film can be best described by what my colleague, Scott Tobias of The A.V. Club (The Onion), wrote me earlier today: "Trouble is, "Funny Games" doesn't disguise its contempt for its audience, so it's no surprise that many viewers, in no mood to be scolded for their bloodlust, hate it right back."

This scolding comes by way of the film's lead villain (Pitt) periodically breaking the fourth wall to speak directly to the audience.  "You're on their side, aren't you?" he asks the audience at one point.  Oh, how diabolical. 

If you haven't seen the original, that's fine (a lot of Americans haven't).  If you haven't seen the trailer for the film, then I actually envy you: Though the film offers its fair share of surprises, I cannot even fathom the idea of walking into this film cold.  That must be quite the experience. 

The best films are the ones that provoke, stir up dialogue and conversation, but not just for the sake of arguing.  Haneke is very much concerned with the concept of genre, but more importantly he seems to want to reexamine our culture's fascination with gore and violence.  We have moved, in celluloid eras, from such masterclasses as "Rosemary's Baby" to mindless, bloody torture movies like the "Saw" series.  It's as if Haneke is saying, "If you really want a movie that actually lives up to its alluring poster and slick tagline, I dare you to give this one a try."

Believe me, it's going to break your eggs.