Good movie, but too complex for this type of movie.

Rating: 7/10 (30 April 2004)

They say Stanley Kubrick has always been ahead of his time, and considering the age of this movie, that is probably true, this is a very a sharp critical movie, still it contains a high amount of social realism though, it's a twisted movie that is very hard to sit through, but leaves you thinking.
Alexander De Large and his gang is a product of a numb society, for fun they entertain themself with violent acts towards whomever crosses their way, Alex is the leader of the gang, the others go in his path and does what he wants, one day though two of them objects and wants to be equal, Alex doesn't agree and starts a fight, after that things go back to normal, Alex in charge, but his gang is no longer his friends. He is betrayed and is sent to a prison, to get out early he volunteers for a program that is supposed to help him out of his violent path.
Kubrick has always had a very experimental style, and even though this mvoie is hard to watch, it's still very powerfull and have a very realistic (even though the movie itself is portrayed unrealistic and fantasy alike). The movie spends a lot of time on the act of violence, and Kubrick's morale point of view is never in doubt, but then again, it always appears to be in doubt, because i dont think that i ever managed to figure out completely what the meaning was with the plot, just as i thought i was on a straight path, understanding everything, the movie turns and goes in the opposite direction, it's definetely a complex movie, that for full understanding has to be watched more than once, problem also is that it's hard to sit through, Kubrick uses the soundtrack perfectly, especially in the start, Beethoven is nearly constantly playing, but as soon as Alex is arrested, it stops. And from here it only plays occasionally as he gets cured, but in the end the path comes back to hunt him, together with the music.
Of course this is Kubrick's movie, his directing habits shines through in all his movies, because he is a genius, and a true master, this movie is very powerfull, but i think also maybe too complex. Kubrick has his own style and his own way of saying it, i think not all will understand this movie, but the ones that do will think it's a masterpiece, this movie will divide the audience, some will understand it and think it's brilliant, another large group will think it's jibberish, and then there'll be the ones still trying to figure out how all the puzzles fits together, the movie is very symbolic, colors and music displays a lot of the meaning of the movie. In one remarkable scene in the start we see Alex and his gang attacking an elderly man sitting in a tunnel, as Alex and his gangs walks in their shadows grow long down towards the old homeless man, i think this specific scene tells a lot about what the initiave with the movie is, it's a symbolic movie. Which is also one of the reasons why i believe it has to be watched more than once for full understanding.

Another thing that is interesting in this movie is the special use of the language, it's obvious that Kubrick was thinking in a futuristic style while taping the movie, the language is unique and gives the movie a weird touch, though interesting, the movie is very experimental as other Kubrick movies, it does seem like he is trying to look into the future and predict the future of a numb society.
Malcolm McDowell is Alexander De Large, and he fills out this complex and interesting character very well, he is the only of the chracters that shines through, all the others pretty much fades to the background, perhaps because the story doesn't stop at them long, there are many supporting characters playing various roles and they all appear in different parts of the movie for a little while.
The movies strength is definetely the directing and storyline, Kubrick dared to check chances, a movie like this nobody else could have made at this time, he is unique and that's what shines through in this movie, this experimental director has created a movie that will and should never be forgotten, because it's a landmark in cinematic history. However, to me it doesn't stand as the masterpiece of all time, mainly becuase it's too complex, and at times too long, but the complicated way it's directed is what makes it hard to understand, so for me it's both a strength and a weakness, strength because it's unique and original and it will stay in your thoughts for a good while, weak because it's very hard to absorbe and understand, and it's almost definate that it has to be watched more than once for full understanding, something that isn't always a good thing, especially considering that it isn't an easy movie to sit through.
7/10