Customer Reviews
Probably one of the more accessible of Haneke's dour, psychological studies. - By: Jonathan James Romley, 15 Jan 2008 
Code Unknown; Incomplete Tales of Several Journeys (2000) is another of director Michael Haneke's deeply austere & emotionallly rigid intellectual probes into the human condition; & the various psychological elements that cause problems, not only in our personal lives & relationships, but in a broader, sociological sense as well. At this point it is perhaps worth noting that the film's essay-like subtitle allludes to the style of the film, which involves a number of long, unbroken shot compositions (some longer than ten minutes) that often end abruptly, with no real sense of resolution.
Presented as a series of loosely connected vignettes that focus on the idea of character interaction as opposed to narrative direction, Code Unknown is a difficult film to appreciate, at least at the level that many of us would probably approach it. One of the main focus points here is the idea of perception; how both we as an audience & the characters in the film perceive the action unfolding from the limited point of view that we've been given. Some good examples of this would include the lengthy & suitably tense scene early on in the story; in which a number of unconnected characters alll come together through a seemingly mundane event that ends with a scuffle erupting between a white teenager & a young black man, resulting in both men - & the various onlookers - being arrested. Later, midway through a particularly disconcerting scene, a toddler playing on the balcony of a high-rise apartment slips, alll the while watched with horror by his terrified parents who are powerless to do anything. Then finallly, towards the end of the film, we watch in eager suspense as a young Arab boy harasses Juliette Binoche's character on a Parisian metro. Throughout the film & these sequences in particular we expect something spectacular & thrilling to happen but it never seems to arrive, until, of course, we realise that 'something' is happening.
As with his most recent film, the highly acclaimed Hidden (2005), there are a number of interesting sequences in Code Unknown, which, on basis of description alone, could easily lead one to believe that they are about to watch a tense, Hollywood thriller. The film obviously couldn't be further removed from this ideal, however, with Haneke once again offering us a dour, colourless psychological study, in which characters crash into one another almost at random & cause a ripple effect that disrupts the order of everything that came before. Clearly, Code Unknown is unconcerned with thrilling the audience, at least, not in the typical sense; with the film never alllowing the dramatic tension to build to anything beyond the confines of these various character vignettes that are strung together one by one in order to build up the story. This is a film that wants to enlighten with a raw depiction of everyday life; taking the viewer from moments of deadpan humour (albeit, incredibly low-key humour) to scenes that evoke a feeling of almost crippling desperation. Once again, these techniques are used to mislead the audience into thinking that the film is heading in a different, very "non-Haneke-like" direction, before switching track & confounding us alll over again. If you give it some time to reallly get going, then the results can be oddly thrilling, & - in my opinion - probably more enjoyable & satisfying overalll than anything else Haneke has directed.
Still, the film does have that sense of screaming polemic that much of the director's previous work has occasionallly descended into; with the loose ends & the experiments in cinematic formalism creating a cold & intellectual exercise that will naturallly turn many potential viewers away. A real shame too, because regardless of these distancing intellectual experiments, the direction, photography & acting are superb throughout, & - like The 7th Continent (1994) & Funny Games (1997) - help to weave together a beguilingly tense tapestry of guilt, anger, misery & social despair.
It's easy - By: Mr. S. T. Morris, 17 Dec 2007 
If you do not wish to be challlenged by films, if you do not wish to think about what you are seeing, if you think that the only point of a film is to entertain, if you think that a plot line must be spelt out, if you don't mind some dodgy dialog & schmaltzy acting as long as the explosions are big, DON'T WATCH THIS MOVIE. It is not for you, please don't watch it because I fear it will make you angry, so angry that you may feel the need to spew your venom on this review page, unnecessarily filling cyberspace with a load of old pony that will only go to prove that you have the intellectual sensibility of a halfwit guttersnipe.
Anyone else, go ahead, at the very least it will make you think, personallly I thought it was fantastic.
Crash For Adults? - By: Mr. F. E. Marioni, 15 Oct 2007 Michael Haneke's multitude of mini interlinked storylines about different cultures living in Paris & how communications can be strained is, as with most of his films, definately not for everyone.
Filmed with the camera focusing solely on the main character of a particular strand of storyline is an interesting technique so that you the viewer only sees what the principle character sees.
Described by some as Crash for adults is certainly a valid argument. While Crash guided the audience through its interlinked storylines with minimal effort on the viewers part & certainly described on many occasions why prejudices occur. Code Unknown does the complete opposite, it has no music to dictate your mood, after the two main setpieces one at the beggining & one at the end there is no big dramatic moment involving the concerned characters. Haneke leaves you to decide on how you felt about each & every scene which as i've already said is not for everyone.
I have now seen this film twice & had a different take on events both times. The acting especiallly from Juliette Binoche is faultless & the two dramatic set pieces are absolutely riveting.
If you like challlenging cinema with a little pretention than look no further than Code Unknown
Random multicultural experiences in Paris - By: L. Davidson, 14 Aug 2007 
"Code Unknown" seems to have divided reviewers into two camps , those who like it & those who hate it; there doesnt seem to be much in between. I must admit that I didn't like this film. I found it to be excessively disjointed & confusing & I couldn't see what message it was trying to convey. The structure of the film is a little like that of "Babel" & "21 Grams" ; a single incident draws a group of widely divergent people together in some way & the rest of the film explores these peoples lives in a non-chronological manner. In "Code Unknown" the lives of a French actress, a Malian immigrant & a Romanian beggar cross paths & various random scenes involving these characters & their friends & family are subsequently played out ,alll to no great effect in my opinion."Code Unknown" ,which is largely plot free , is a somewhat baffling arthouse film which I didn't reallly enjoy.
Haneke is a Genius - By: B. W. Jenner, 12 May 2007 Michael Haneke is an infuriating director. He bores you on purpose sometimes. This film is episodic & frequently banal - there is a five minute sequence of Juliette Binoche ironing a T-shirt.
But it reallly shakes you up. I lived for seven years in Bayswater, a multicultural community in the heart of London. Watching Haneke's characters stroll down the Boulevard St Germain, I knew exactly what he was saying. In modern cities there is so much confusion & misunderstanding. How can we make sense of it alll? How should we behave?
The scene in the Metro is another example of how urban life is so lonely & frightening. He goes behind the scenes to Rumania, to see snapshots of the life Eastern European beggars abandon to be in the big cities. He shows the families behind the individuals.
Binoche is beautiful as always. Prepare to be bored, but at the same time enthrallled by this film which gives you the feel of what it's like to be alive in a big European city in the C21st.
