A Clockwork Orange itself

Rating: 10/10 (25 February 2005)

"A Clockwork Orange" is, despite what everybody in the world has told you, despite what the AFI thinks, despite what the New York Times says, despite what all those 250 Best, 150 Best, 100 Best lists say, A BAD MOVIE.
Stanley Kubrick was a great and original director.His "2001" and "Dr.Strangelove" are among the best films ever made.From the others I have seen, "Eyes Wide Shut" and "Full Metal Jacket" were flawed but still very much worthwhile.Even "Spartacus" had its moments. Kubrick only directed sixteen movies in his lifetime but not one was uninteresting, worthless or mindless.Except for "A Clockwork Orange".
Number One, it's mechanical and boring.It's such a bland and colorless adaptation of the book.The film follows the book nearly word for word; it doesn't flow, it marches from page to page.
Number Two,it's cruel and morally repugnant.The movie doesn't know that its sick and sadistic hero, Alex, is not supposed to be a sympathetic character (or maybe he is. Who knows. The book was ambivalent, first describing his horrific crimes and then turning him into a victim and object of pity.)However, the movie is pretty clearly on Alex's side.At the end, when he survives a suicide attempt, can rape and kill again and collaborates with the criminal government, it's like we are expected to cheer.
One thing always bothered me about "A Clockwork Orange", the book and movie; what in God's name is the message, the great underlying idea? It's obvious the author is trying to make some sort of metaphysical point, but what the hell is it? A lot of graphic violence and scenes of rape are employed, but to prove what? As the American film critic Roger Ebert once said, I don't require ideas in movies,in order to be great a movie doesn't at all need to have a message-but in a message movie, I'd sure like to know what the message is.