Review of Code Unknown (2000) by Jon P — 04 Sep 2015

Juliet Binoche is superb in Michael Haneke's cryptic, interactive drama. Code Unknown is a film of missing links and lost connections, and Haneke takes pride in forcing the audience to piece together his puzzle. The film has an air of haunting realism and Haneke's naturalistic characters have real, no-nonsense depth.

Haneke's guessing game is fun for a time, but we often find ourselves so desperate for his scattered sequences to achieve new heights, we're left dumbfounded when his strongest scenes prematurely fizzle away.

Code Unkown is chilling study of the subtle connections and barriers between humans, but it's also a frustrating film of fleeting greatness and exasperating enigmas.