The White Ribbon

The White Ribbon movie review - Mysterious accidents suggest a terrifying pattern of violent revenge in a pre-WWI Protestant German village. No one can tell if the culprit is tied to the local baron, doctor, pastor, farmers or otherwise. Count on the deduction being considerably more chilling than a game of "Clue."

The buzz: Pair this with "Antichrist" and you've got a really thought-provoking black-and-white mini film fest that is absolutely no fun whatsoever. This nearly two-and-a-half hour drama has writer-director Michael Haneke's ("Cache") unmistakable stamp all over it.

The verdict: With more complex urgency than "There Will Be Blood," "The White Ribbon" examines the foundations of conflict as the distance between suspicion and tragedy grows ever smaller. The persistent ambiguity is a bit of a cheat, and the pacing is so deliberate that your anxiety sometimes slips into impatience. But cruelty and paranoia breathe down the neck of this nail-biter, which creates biblical horror out of peace disturbed.

Did you know? One scene demonstrates an apparently old custom where if people aren't paid for a job well done, they destroy their boss' cabbage patch. Expect a drastic increase in employees at struggling companies suddenly asking their superior how his or her crops are holding up this winter.

• Source:  Chicago Tribune

• Official movie site: The White Ribbon

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