Michael Haneke’s The Seventh Continent is one of the rare directorial debuts that immediately showcases a filmmaker’s grasp of his craft and what he can bring to the medium. Some of the greatest director’s feature film debuts have been transitional maturations of their styles – Lars von Trier’s The Element of Crime (1984) is one that springs to mind – but Haneke skips his transitional period and displays a natural discovery of the technical and stylistic qualities that have shaped his acclaimed career. This is a well executed film by any standard, but it’s also a thoroughly impressive introduction to Haneke’s distinctive and challenging filmmaking style. If you appreciate his style then you are witnessing a more-than-humble beginning that features some of his strongest artistic traits; if not, then it will likely be a rough viewing experience.
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