It's unfortunate that the director appears to intend this as some sort of explanation of the roots of National Socialism. That's too facile. Instead, it's a wonderful examination of human nature and tyranny. And it's a terrific reminder of how terrible living conditions were for Westerners less than a century ago. Don't ever let anyone tell you that rural life was idyllic back then. I enjoyed all 2-1/2 hours of it, though I needed to watch about four hours of "Wonderpets" videos afterward to lift my spirits. Grim, if gripping, stuff. Submit to it.… Expand

Stunning film from relentless provocateur Michael Haneke. The premise is scintillating, and it's slow-burn method of denying the audience any explicit truth is remarkable. One of the best films I've seen in a while.

Amazing movie. Should be nominated for Best Picture. The movie is powerful and intense. The cinematography was perfect. Overall one of the best films of the year.

Beautifully photographed and very well-acted, "The White Ribbon", Haneke's latest film, was simply too cold and remote for my taste. Despite some of the most beautiful B&W cinematography you'll ever see, the film comes across like half-baked Bergman. Surprised that "The White Ribbon" won the Palme d'Or at Cannes over "Un Prophete", which to me is a vastly superior film. Haneke fans won't be disappointed, though everyone else might find that "The White Ribbon" overstays its welcome.… Expand

Haneke has proven, once again, that he is one of the most challenging directors around. I have never seen anything remotely similar to the White Ribbon, it is a film that only skims the surface of the material presented to us. As it is up to the audience, for the most part, to figure out the on-goings in this not so humble village.

Unlike most people on here, I did not enjoy 'The White Ribbon.' It just did not get its message across, for me. Yes, the black and white cinematography was excellent and it definitely contributed to the general gloomy, dark feeling of the film, but cinematography alone cannot save the film. I found myself, quite often, being bored out of my wits because of the extremely slow pace of the film, and just being rather frustrated at the end, with the open-endedness of the whole picture. Also, I do not really see the connection between this story and the origins of National Socialism, but I guess maybe if I watched it again I could pick up on more things. Sadly, I just do not feel like wasting another 2 1/2 hours on this.… Expand

Amazing movie. Real thinker. It's one of those movies that you'll hate after seeing it, but once you see the bigger picture, no pun intended, it will stun you.

an absolutely disturbing film and needs to be hailed as one of the best films of its decade. I've only watched two of Michael Haneke's films (the other being Cache) too realise that this man is a genius. it is a simple story, but to create that level of unease and uncertainty requires sheer craft. Great film.

The movie is nothing more than a dark tale of metaphors and anti-humanism. Set in a small pre-World War I village in Germany, Haneke unravels schemes that he uses to signify the rise of fascism by the need for control - no characters are left without faults, and the more that is revealed, the more we realize that the village will inevitably spiral into chaos. The plot itself is provoking, but the movie would be nothing without Haneke's methodical direction, weaving bleakness with uncertainty and paranoia in a way that is sure to gnaw at your soul.… Expand

Beautifully filmed and acted and directed, yet ultimately unsatisfying. The story of a small German village told years later by its schoolteacher, who recounts a series of unsettling events in the months prior to WWI. The film centers primarily on the town's parson, the town's landowning baron,the town doctor, the schoolteacher and the children he teaches. Odd stuff happens and no one seems to know why. As the film slowly winds from one event to another we await resolution, but there is no satisfying moment of understanding or clarity, and all is left unsettled. The characters are so odd that the Marty Feldman character from Young Frankenstein would have fit right in and provided some needed comic relief.… Expand

One of the best films you will ever see. One word? Chilling. I found myself to be a different person when I left the cinema. It tells a dark tale of the human life and I could not shake the feeling that what is depicted in the film is less a fairy tale and more a picture of a reality that seems overcome, but is it really and truly?