One of the greatest films ever made

Rating: 10/10 (29 November 2004)

I haven't read the novel that this film is based upon, and I didn't know that much about it before I sat down to see it. I decided to see it after hearing pretty much nothing but praise for the film(in fact, the only negative comments I've ever heard about it is that it deviates too much from the original novel... which is something Kubrick was famous for) and because I immensely enjoyed The Shining and Kubrick's directorial style as seen in it. I must say, it's been quite a while since I saw something so full, spectacular, exhausting and powerful. From the very first frame to the very last... amazing. Kubrick's style is magnificent, his storytelling is among the best ever seen in cinema. With this film he truly captures the raw and pure qualities of violence. I don't think(well, I certainly don't hope) that anyone who ever has or ever will see this film confuses this as an ode or a tribute to violence... this is not, in any way, shape, or form glorifying violence or violent behavior. Quite the contrary, you might say. The film proves, once and for all, that violence spawns violence. Visually, the film is absolutely stunning. The angles, pans, tracking shots... fantastic work. The ideas presented in the film are more than enough to disturb and freak out any normal person... which is(at least part of) the point. If I mention the words 'eyes opened forcefully' you probably already know what I'm talking about, right? That famous sequence has been referenced, spoofed and talked about more times than just about any other visual impression in the history of cinema. The way everyone and everything turns at Alex after he's apparently cured... truly disturbing. I found a surprise at every change in scenery or even in immediate situation, especially in the latter part of the movie. The way society turns against Alex after he rejoins it, apparently a better man... one of the most 'true' and real cinematic truths ever told of humanity. We are beasts, we are what is commonly referred to as 'inhumane'... and Kubrick tells us this in a truly astonishing manner. The plot is very good. It deals with the main character of Alex, beautifully played by Malcolm McDowell, who loves 'a bit of the old ultra-violence'. He is incarcerated and offered a chance to be re-entered to society, after being 'cured' of his psychotic tendencies. The pacing is... well, hard to describe, really... it feels slow, the movie seems to move slowly... but it hardly drags at all. It's exhausting, not to mention hard to sit through, both due to the extreme content and the slowly moving plot, but it's all worth it. The point is pure genius. Pure Kubrick. The acting is flawless... and believe me, that is not a term I use lightly. Every single actor performs perfectly. The characters are perfectly written, credible in every scene and interesting. The cinematography is pure beauty... pure excellence. I've come to love Kubrick's visual style. His cuts of varying speed and intensity, his long takes when dealing with dialog... truly amazing. His use of music is astounding... the use of classical music is great and really adds to the ironic tone and the atmosphere, the mood of the film. This is truly a work of art, and an exhausting but truly worthwhile film. I haven't seen anything quite like it for a while... in fact, maybe I never have. I recommend this to any fan of Kubrick or intelligent theater. If you believe yourself to be perceptive and intelligent enough to understand the film on most or all of its levels(I don't claim to, not at all), or even on the most basic levels, such as theme and morale(which is what I understood of it) then you should, nay, then you *need* to see this film. Be prepared, though, it does contain quite a lot of disturbing themes and ideas, and is not in any way for the faint of heart. 10/10