Very different movie, certainly worth watching

Rating: 7/10 (3 May 2013)

"A Clockwork Orange" is considered by many to be a classic. Stanley Kubrick's unique style is on full display in this thriller that can be very graphic at times. Some scenes are twisted, some are gut wrenching, and some are outrageous. While the film is certainly not for everyone, it is fantastically different than most films ever made. Kubrick is not afraid to push the limits and refuses to follow the guidelines laid out by most movies. The uniqueness alone makes "A Clockwork Orange" worth watching.
The star of this film is Alex DeLarge. He is a homicidal rapist and killer who assumes the role of a regular, every day student during the day. Alex and his friends deceive innocent people in order to gain access to their home. Once inside, they torture and kill the unsuspecting victims. Their scheme works on most occasions. One night however, a woman refuses to let them in. She calls the cops instead. Alex, having none of that, breaks in to her house while his friends wait outside. He murders the lady in a very graphic manner. While inside, he hears the sirens of the police on the way. In a panic, Alex quickly runs outside and meets his friends. What Alex is not counting on is that his friends turn on him. They bash him over the head and flee so that Alex is arrested and they get away easy.
Alex becomes the ideal inmate while in prison. He is friendly with guards, plays by the rules, and even takes to reading the bible. As part of being the stand-up citizen in prison, he agrees to be part of an experimental type of treatment. A therapy of sorts, accomplished through a group of rehabilitation sessions. The goal of these sessions is to cure him of the violence that remains inside his mind. The curing sessions turn out to be incredibly violent. They are some of the more gruesome scenes most will ever see. One of the more unique pieces of "A Clockwork Orange" is the soundtrack featured during some of the violent scenes. The music is almost whimsical, certainly not fitting with what most would associate with the actions taking place.
Malcolm McDowell does an excellent job portraying Alex Delarge in this film. What I liked most is the realism in his character. Despite everything he went through, in the end, Alex remains just as evil as he always was. There aren't always happy endings or feel good stories in real life. Sometimes people are sick. While normally very likable as an actor, McDowell does a great job of keeping his character dislikable in this role. He really shows few redeemable qualities. Kubrick also deserves a great deal of credit for directing McDowell in this role. It is fairly easy to follow Hollywood's tried and true path of stories that send the audience home happy. It is quite difficult to be different and to risk your career as a director to put something out there that does not fit the norm.