MovieChat Forums > 71 Fragmente einer Chronologie des Zufalls (1995) Discussion > My impressions

My impressions

posted 22 years ago by mob61uk
5 replies | jump to latest

This is like an earlier version of Hanake's more recent, and far more successful film "Code Unknown".

We know right from the beginning that a gun man is going to enter a bank and shoot a number of innocent people before shooting himself. Haneke then takes us back to some months before the incident, and then follows some of those involved/caught up in the shooting.

There are some classic Haneke moments, but not all of the scenes don't quite work. Nevertheless, the story builds to a devastating climax, that is all the more powerful for its muted tone.

[–] Bitter_Almonds 18 years ago

That ending was f ucking INTENSE!

Do The Mussolini! Headkick!

[–] monsterpop 17 years ago

'tis a nice feeling when all of the scenes don't not work.

[–] csenoner 14 years ago

oh. grammar police. watch out.
come on. quit wasting your time.

I agree that this is classic haneke. I agree that perhaps code unknown was better, but i felt this film was very successful as well.

and an explanation for those who didnt catch it.
I think we are to believe that the old man, the adopting mother and the armed guard who collects/delivers cash all die.

I think this is the reason the movie follows all of these characters.
just before the shooter comes into the bank we can see the woman arguing with a teller, and the old man waiting in line. we also see the blood puddle coming from the guard.

the newscast said 3 people in the bank were killed.

this might have been stating the obvious, but some people find themselves confused after watching haneke movies. which is a good thing.

[–] trymyproduct11 14 years ago

and an explanation for those who didnt catch it.
I think we are to believe that the old man, the adopting mother and the armed guard who collects/delivers cash all die.

I should hope they caught that! That was the reason we were following them throughout the film.

I loved this, like all of Haneke's films. However, if I have one gripe, it's that I could see the ending coming from a mile away. Once you realize all points are convening on the bank, it's fairly obvious. Perhaps that was the point? To let the dread build up inside of you as you slowly realize what's about to happen? Probably. I guess that's not much of a gripe, really. Haneke did the same thing in The Seventh Continent and it was devastatingly effective. Anyway this, and the more cryptic Code Unknown are what I refer to as Haneke's "Altman" films, which I consider to be a pretty funny comparison.

[–] twelvepointnine 14 years ago

However, if I have one gripe, it's that I could see the ending coming from a mile away.

It was announced at the very start of the film, and it was not the point as such.
The film follows the people who were, in one way or another, involved in the bank killings. There's no explanation, no judgement, no moral. The viewer "meets" these people, connects with them, some of them die and become a footnote in the Tagesschau (daily news bulletin). Very nihilistic, very Haneke.

Chaos reigns