PLOT: In the months leading up to the start of the First World War, strange, violent incidents resembling ritual punishment take place in a small German village.
REVIEW: In many ways, THE WHITE RIBBON is a war film. Not in the traditional sense, as the First World War only breaks out in the final few minutes, but rather- this is about a spiritual war, one in which evil triumphs every time.
Alas, his children learn his lesson of purity all too well. To them, the village is full of people who need to be cleansed from sin. In some cases, these sins are very real, with the pederast village doctor almost being crippled at one point. In most cases though, the sins are imagined, with a local boy being tortured due to his father being guilty of greed, or a mentally retarded boy being blinded due to the fact that he was born out of wedlock.
My thematic reading of the film aside, THE WHITE RIBBON is a great film on every level. Besides the engrossing, relevant storyline, this is also a beautifully crafted film. Visually, it’s among the best films in recent memory, with it being shot in gorgeous black and white. This is a departure for director Michael Haneke- whose films usually aren’t as polished visually, with grainy DV being his usual choice (used brilliantly in his film CACHE). Here, the film is shot on rich 35MM film, and each shot looks like a beautiful B&W still photograph. Interestingly, the film does not have a musical score, which gives the film a certain matter-of-factness that suits it well.
RATING: 9/10