While I appreciate the stunning visual evocation of the world and the unnerving atmosphere of punitive power and calculated cruelty under the carefully managed pose of piety, I find his sensibility sour and cynical.

| Jun 11, 2023

Hanke opens an interrogation so that everyone, on their own, can close it. [Full review in Spanish]

| Oct 19, 2022

The White Ribbon might not be worthless, but when one looks at all the parts within the film it feels like the sum should be much greater than it is.

| Aug 28, 2022

Haneke is typically elusive, but he does create an indelible portrait of a repressed, authoritarian society in which the sins of the fathers are being laid upon the children.

| Nov 25, 2020

An engrossing, mesmerizing and involving cinematic journey that is unforgettable as a journey that is both intimate and universal.

| Original Score: 4.0/4.0 | Sep 27, 2020

The White Ribbon is one of the most gorgeous films in recent memory, with one of the blackest condemnations of human nature.

| Jan 23, 2020

The White Ribbon may present difficult themes and have spiky edges and perhaps could not be described as entertainment but, as a piece of cinema, it is undoubtedly stunning.

| Original Score: 5/5 | Oct 25, 2019

Haneke both enthralls and repells us, luring us into a world where all feelings are buried deep beneath the quaint and idyllic surface.

| Original Score: 3.5/4 | Jun 6, 2019

Haneke's rigorous control of his material is so unerring, and the acting so eerily and chillingly perfect, it works simply as a portrait of this community at this particular time.

| Aug 30, 2018

The themes, though sometimes applied heavy-handedly, have timeless meaning.

| Original Score: 3.5/4 | Aug 14, 2018

Suffice it to say that I don't understand the rave reviews that this picture received, and I was not a happy camper when I left the theater.

| Jan 13, 2018

But along with a finely crafted screenplay, the film's truly brilliant touch, and what makes this nightmarish fable all the more effective and original, is its stunning black and white photography.

| Sep 27, 2017

The White Ribbon breathes an unholy life into the generation of children who would grow up to become the obedient soldiers and members of the Nazi party.

| Sep 18, 2017

It magnetizes us through profound degrees of mystery, psychology, dramatic intensity and perceptive dialogue, and then still retains enough power after the closing credits to leave us in thoughtful contemplation of its more cerebral perspectives.

| Original Score: 4/4 | May 27, 2015

After reflecting on the film awhile, I found that I had been drawn into its beauty and its mystery too much not to give it at least a slight recommendation.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Sep 24, 2012

As for Haneke's handling of the material, his directing is immaculate. Every moment is the product of a penetrating mind and a steady talent.

| Sep 20, 2012

This film is a total drag to watch. It is slow. It is dark. It is depressing, and it seems as though it is never going to end. It is torture to sit through this film. It runs 144 minutes and seems twice that long.

| Original Score: F | Jan 19, 2011

The White Ribbon is Michael Haneke's masterpiece. It is not a movie about abstract concepts or a director's power over his characters - well, at least it's not just about those things.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/5 | Oct 21, 2010

Un inquietante cuadro social, filmado en riguroso blanco y negro, y una reflexión sombría y perturbadora sobre el origen del mal, o al menos de cierto tipo de males.

| Original Score: 5/5 | Oct 7, 2010

The White Ribbon is a striking, in many ways indelible work, and it's tempting to be carried away by Haneke's craft and assurance as a filmmaker.

| Sep 10, 2010