Change Your Image
peachfluff
Reviews
Caché (2005)
The completely unpretentious guide to Hidden
Before i get started, I'm not a divvy or someone that only likes mainstream blockbusters, I'm quite the opposite.
But Hidden is one of the most boring, over rated films I have seen. I am usually a fan of films made up of one take scenes, and where long drawn out shots that emphasise the characters are commonplace. However, there's something about Hidden that frustrates - a lot - I felt cheated by the film. What many comments seem to agree on is that Hidden has the viewer riveted - but this is quite a flowery term for what I went through - I felt I had to sit through this hour and fifty minutes of frankly downright shockingly soul destroying, sorry excuse of a film for the simple fact it may actually have AN ENDING.
I don't think anyone has managed to take such a scary and exciting idea and turn it so very well into garbage. (with the exception of Alien vs. Predator and Hole in My Heart) This does not have the same appeal of films like the similarly slow paced Radio On (superb soundtrack and its British charm), or Irreversible (shocking and important) or Last Days (because of its visual excellence and enchanting performances) because: a) its visuals are not at all stunning - my mum could have set a shot up like Haneke's dull shots, b)it is two hours of middle class domestic self obsessed faff, made by a director who obviously has some issues with refugees (and being entertaining) which he should address (and not inflict on me by making this film), c)it fools you into thinking it has a story which at some point will end, not give up.
d)the one thing it has to say about society is that they middle class people might ignore a news report WHEN THEIR SON HAS GONE MISSING.
The film is not even redeemed by its random inserts of gore or axe wielding children, because they are frankly only shocking due to the rest of the film being so static.
Genre breaking? No - this isn't a thriller by any stretch of the imagination. Thrillers are thrilling - or at the least moderately entertaining.
Depressing, thankless, boring, frustrating, disappointing, pretentious and over-hyped, the only thing good about the film is that hopefully i will never see anything else like it.