Even After 40 Years, It Still Connects To Film-making And Our Society

Rating: 6/10 (25 February 2012)

I had delayed watching this film solely because I did not really enjoy 2001: A Space Odyssey that much as most film critics do. I have to admit I was a bit afraid of watching Kubrick's films after that. "A Clockwork Orange", however, has showed me something I never thought possible -- the ultimate artistic form of a courageous visionary and a mix of messages concerning our society.
What starts out as a portrait of a few British teenagers' gang life in a near future has evolved into much, much more. The true beauty of this artwork begins to surface as the "treatment" of "curing" a person is introduced, and our title character, Alex, volunteers for such an experiment without second thoughts. The real question is perhaps: How do we cure a corrupted mind? Or is there something out there we call a corrupted mind? If such a mind exists, and is born, given inherently in such a way, is changing it a moral choice? Morality. Perhaps that is another social commentary that has made the film so great and definitely a classic to be remembered. What about crimes, psychology, sociology, or even politics? One may think that such complex systems and thoughts cannot possibly be expressed in merely hours, but this masterpiece proves this way of thinking wrong. Putting together an intriguing story and a huge amount of hidden messages, this is a movie that interests as well as inspires. It inspires its viewers to look further into our society.
As thought-provoking as it is, you may think that it does not matter. After all, you may complain about its relevance to our post-modern world, since it has been 41 years. Nevertheless, that is not the case. It is the first time I watch this, and I am already able to relate a lot of the contents and meanings to the society we are living in right now. It is undoubtedly a controversial work, for both its purpose and probably more so for its explicit scenes. Remember it was made back in 1971, though I think it will still be a powerful film were it made this year. It is the kind of film with deep and inspirational intrinsic values that time cannot melt away.
Different people may love this Kubrick work for different reasons. To me, this is my favorite Kubrick films up to date (I have not watched all his films). Perhaps it is the interesting and unique plot that draws you in, or perhaps it is the controversial or the slight touch of anti-cultural excitement that keeps you excited. Either way, in terms of story, what we are given is linear-storytelling at its best. It is solid, proper-paced and it captures the right emotions. When it comes to the message, most likely it will end up with different interpretations. No matter what you think, after watching this, you will feel like you have a lot to express in your mind. You suddenly think a lot of things that are inside your mind are touched, and there is also an inflow of new ideas of this world we are living in, and of course, human nature.
I do not usually write many and long paragraphs in reviews, because often you do not have to say much about a film for people to actually get it. "A Clockwork Orange" is an exception. On one hand, try as I may, I do not think I can describe such a masterpiece in one or two short paragraphs. On a more personal level, it is truly a movie that makes one think about the things around us.