Time of the Wolf (Le Temps du Loup, 2003)

Since I’m a huge fan of apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic film and literature I’ve wanted to see Time of the Wolf for a while. By director Michael Haneke’s own admission the story was designed to give safe and comfortable people a taste of the end of the world. He accomplished his goal with a stark and unsettling film of harrowing beauty. The film has a minimal plot and leaves the work of figuring out what is happening to the audience. The acting is very well done, but where the film achieves power is in the direction of the camera. The lens lingers and records whole scenes from one dramatic angle. I wouldn’t say I “enjoyed” watching the film, but I was captivated by it.