The Seventh Continent
(1989)
|
|
| 0Share... |
The Seventh Continent
(1989)
|
|
| 0Share... |
| Cast overview: | |||
|
|
Birgit Doll | ... |
Anna Schober
|
| Dieter Berner | ... |
Georg Schober
|
|
|
|
Leni Tanzer | ... |
Evi Schober
|
|
|
Udo Samel | ... |
Alexander
|
|
|
Silvia Fenz | ... |
Optiker Kundin
|
|
|
Robert Dietl |
|
|
|
|
Elisabeth Rath | ... |
Lehrerin
|
|
|
Georges Kern |
|
|
|
|
Georg Friedrich | ... |
Störungsdienst der Post
|
A European family who plan on escaping to Australia, seem caught up in their daily routine, only troubled by minor incidents. However, behind their apparent calm and repetitive existence, they are actually planning something sinister.
I went into this film with very high expectations. Unfortunately, I can't say that it lived up to them. The first hour is incredibly dull, as we watch an upper middle-class family lifelessly perform mundane tasks (take a shower, eat breakfast, tie shoes, etc.). I failed to sympathize with any of the characters, and some scenes dragged on so long that I found my mind wandering. I generally don't mind long takes, and even in other films by the same director (Funny Games, Benny's Video, etc.) thought they were used extremely well. However, here they were simply tedious.
The film wasn't totally a let down however; far from it. The last 45 minutes really picks up intensity and re-grabs the viewer's interest. I won't spoil anything for those who haven't seen it, but the scene in which the family destroys their own house and possessions is extremely well done. The ending is bleak and depressingly powerful, and I realized that it wouldn't have worked without the boring first hour. But that doesn't change the fact that it was boring.
Overall, I had trouble giving this film a number rating, but I guess it would be somewhere around a 6/10. I think it's possible that that number would change on a second viewing, but to be honest, I doubt I would ever want to watch this film again.