A difficult, but rewarding viewing experience

Rating: 9/10 (24 June 2014)

A Clockwork Orange is an unsettling exploration of violence within society by the technical master Stanley Kubrick. It is easily his most controversial film, which in a repertoire including Lolita & Eyes Wide Shut, among others, is impressive. The film does not shy away from violence or sex (though certainly its violence is no more graphic than some of its contemporaries, and it is only the sexual content which would still be considered mildly graphic today); indeed, it basks in them.
The film follows Alex De Large (a perfect performance by Malcolm Mcdowell), too depraved to be considered protagonist, too charismatic (and later, sympathetic) to be considered a villain- though one likely would lean towards the latter- as he first goes about his violent escapades with his 'droogs', and later at his incarceration and 'rehabilitation'. What first begins purely as a look at depraved violence takes on a political and social angle as it explores psychology, morality and nature by virtue of the now-infamous 'Ludovico' treatment, and its consequences. While some films merely ask questions, A Clockwork Orange certainly leans towards providing answers. It suggests a firm belief in the artificiality of the treatment's results, and particularly their use as a means to a political end- there are certainly echoes of 1984-style totalitarianism in the treatment's implied purposes.
Like many of Kubrick's filmography, the film is technically a masterpiece. The visuals and the editing are top notch, with nary a wasted shot in sight. But special mention must go to the use of sound, with a soundtrack primarily composing of the work of Beethoven, which Alex is enamoured by. Its use within scenes (the threesome and the riverside fight in particular) is pitch perfect, at times supremely unsettling and at others morbidly comedic.
Yet while as technically perfect as Kubrick ever was, like many of his films it seems emotionally hollow. The characters and story are distant, and one can struggle to immerse oneself in the film. Perhaps more so because of the focus on depravity and extremities, it is possibly even more difficult to gain attachment to it. This isn't necessarily a bad thing- it would likely detract from the entrancing experience- but it is certainly not to everyone's tastes. And repeat viewing does not come easily: with no emotional attachment, and as it implicitly answers the questions it poses there is little left to gain from frequent viewings. The fact that it is also simply a difficult watch, particularly the sexual violence and the treatment, mean many will simply not want to return to it.
For all that, it is deeply engaging, thought provoking, and simply fantastically well made. It is difficult to say that A Clockwork Orange is an 'enjoyable' experience, but it can be a rewarding one.