moral failure

His films relentlessly examine psychological decay, guilt, and the failure of individuals to connect authentically, particularly in *The Seventh Seal* and *Persona*.

He portrays ambitious, morally compromised characters whose pursuits of power and desire lead to spiritual emptiness in films like *There Will Be Blood* and *Boogie Nights*.

His austere cinema explores complicity, violence, and the moral indifference of society through works like *Funny Games* and *The White Ribbon*.