Average. Too violent.

Rating: 4/10 (21 February 2009)

After I read all the praise that this movie was getting, being for example entitled as one of the best movies ever made, I had pretty high expectations. Before watching the DVD I did not read anything about the plot. I really didn't know what kind of movie to expect and barely understood what the genre would be. After watching I don't understand why so many people love this film. Totally overrated.
After watching the first 20 minutes I was thinking "Man this is really boring! I wonder if the movie will ever start going?!". Throughout the whole movie I was always like "What the hell is supposed to be so great about this movie? What am I missing?" After the first 20 minutes are over, the film begins to get more interesting. However it just doesn't really do anything for me. There are no characters that I could somehow feel any sympathy for. The storyline is somewhat interesting (though not intelligent) and the effects and visuals may be nice, but the violence ruins everything for me. This Li'l Ze guy has to be one of the most horrid villains of any movie. And to me it is quite dissatisfying to see that the only person that may have the ability to stop him (Ned) gets his girlfriend raped in front of his eyes by this very villain, and soon thereafter gets half of his family shot. And in the end he doesn't even kill the bad guy.
I know that this stuff may very well happen in the real world (in fact the story is supposed to be based on real events). I just don't want to see it. I don't like it. I know that there is a sewerage system under our towns, where it smells terrible and all kinds of nasty stuff happens. But I don't want to see a movie about it. I don't want to be taken there. The same thing here. I don't want to see a psychopathic killer and inhuman violence.
However if you happen to like horror movies, helplessness, senseless violence and barbarity you may like this one. If you are looking for substance there is not much left after subtracting the violence.