Viddy Well, Little Brother. Viddy Well...

Rating: 10/10 (25 January 2011)

Stanley Kubrick was a masterful filmmaker, and one of the few directors I feel can rightfully claim such a title. The man was responsible for some of the most influential pieces of cinema and, of all his films, this is my favorite. The tale of Alex (Malcolm McDowell), a boy obsessed with the darker side of life. He spends his evenings committing acts of rape and indulging in a bit of ultra-violence with his droogs. He's intelligent, manipulative, and completely without remorse, and his luck is about to run out. After a routine break-in ends in murder, Alex is betrayed by his droogs and left to the police. He's sentenced to fourteen years in prison but finds a means of lessening his sentence if he agrees to partake in an experimental treatment to remove his violent tendencies. The treatment works and Alex is thrown back into a society to face those he's wronged. Alex's punishments are far from over as he confronts a society in which there is no place for him, and the aggressor becomes the victim.
This movie would have been no where near as engaging if it weren't for Malcolm McDowell as Alex. The man is fantastic and still manages to come across as one of the most charismatic faces of evil in cinema. We watch as he engages in horrific acts of violence, and yet he manages to charm the audience into sympathizing with him through his narration. It's a wonder how McDowell didn't become one of the powerhouse actors of his generation following his incredible performance here. And, honestly, he's not alone. Every person in this film does a fantastic job in their part. My favorite supporting character would have to be Aubrey Morris as P.R. Deltoid, the corrections officer who oversees Alex. He adds some great humor to the film as he tries to warn Alex of the consequences he is facing and driving the point home with a punch to the groin. Patrick Magee is also great as Frank Alexander, one of Alex's victims who is driven to his limits after an assault on his home.
I find this movie interesting because, unlike most mainstream films, the main character never appears to go through any real change. Sure, he's put through the torment of the experimental procedure but in the end he's the same old Alex. Apparently this was not as writer Anthony Burgess intended when he wrote the book upon which this film was based, but I can't see the film having the same effect if Kubrick took the same route. Burgess's message is lost in the film version but Kubrick has taken Burgess's material and made it his own in a new medium. Rather than promoting how each man must make their own choice whether to be good or evil, Kubrick seems to revel in basking in the corruption of this future society where the government is no better than the criminals. Many people have commented how they hate this film for it's exploitative violence and, yes, there is reason for some to be repulsed by it's content. Some will just find themselves confused at the nadset language developed by Burgess for this fictional world (not me, though...I loved it. I wish it were real) I'm certainly not one of this film's haters and I rank it as one of my top favorites.