Despite Hidden being a low budget thriller made by a director who isn’t a household name, with more niché actors and a lot of food for thought when it’s all over, it’s clear to see why The Times chose it as their film of the decade.
Georges Laurent (Daniel Auteuil) is a public television host of a book discussion group, with a wife and son, played by Juliette Binoche and Lester Makedonsky respectively. When Georges starts receiving video tapes in the mail showing the outside of his house, at first he thinks it is a prank being played on the family by kids at his son’s school.
But when the tapes keep coming and now wrapped in paper with disturbing drawings on them, Georges goes to the police. Since they see no open threat with the tapes however Georges and his family are left with the tapes wondering who is sending them and why. The mystery deepens further still and Georges and his family are wrapped up in the past coming back to haunt them.
This shot becomes the epicentre of the film. Haneke uses long shots such as these to chilling effect.
The film’s a glorious set-piece of simplistic cinematography, made all the more glorious by believable acting, a couple of shocking and memorable scenes, and a gripping story that draws you in. The use of camerawork and the lack of non-diagetic music is a welcome change and Haneke makes use of the phrases “silence is golden” and “make a lot with a little” implementing still shots to full effect and just a few locations for the past and present.
Whilst Hidden isn’t for everyone in both language and direction, there’s a strong feeling that it doesn’t need to be. The film doesn’t try to blow your face off with special effects and action sequences because that would take away from the film’s raw realism and gritty suspense. Hidden is a psychological thriller with a simple formula built around a complex plot, that implements a guilt-trip feel suggesting everyone has secrets hidden away.
Rating: 
