A man's home is his castle, but unfortunately without the moat and archers and drawbridge and pots of oil ready to be dumped on competitors looking to siege it. Instead we rely on window bars, panic rooms, and the occasional firearm to fend off the barbarians at the gate. But what happens when these defenses aren't successful? What happens when the King is menaced inside his own apartment? Well, what usually happens is awesome drama, as the one place that we consider inviolable sanctuary is torn asunder. In the films that follow, the home is invaded by a number of parties, criminals both threatening and bungling. Some end well, some end badly, and some never end at all. With the forthcoming release of the Liv Tyler/Scott Speedman thriller The Strangers, we thought now was a good time to revisit this nightmare scenario. These are UGO's Top Eleven Movie Home Invasions - lock your doors if you want, we're already inside.
Funny Games
Michael Haneke is a master of evoking middle-class discomfort. His movies often feature everyday citizens pulled into horrific situations far beyond their control. In his Funny Games, a suburban family on vacation at their lake house find their bucolic holiday shattered by the arrival of two white-gloved teenagers. After overstaying their welcome (and killing the family dog), Peter and Paul (the teenagers) force the family to play a number of cruel games to ensure their survival. Unfortunately, these two kids aren't just your average garden-variety psychopaths - Haneke grants them the ability to break the fourth wall, being aware of their status as "players" in a film, and the poor family just can't cope with that kind of metafictional awareness, having their triumph over the boys undone as simply as pressing the Rewind button on a TV remote. Callous, cruel, and incredibly captivating Funny Games takes the home invasion to a whole new level.
