Jarring, shocking and very, very true.

Rating: 10/10 (17 October 1999)

"How much do you know about yourself if you've never been in a fight?" Switch the words "been in a fight" to "pushed yourself to the limit" and you've got one of the most true statements of this century, and the general basis to this movie. To say anything more would give most of the movie away. Brad Pitt and Ed Norton give stellar performances, as usual, and Helena Bonham Carter fits in perfectly with them. The only flaw I find is the lack of character development, not so much with the aforementioned, but the supporting cast.
Much like 'A Clockwork Orange', this movie's use of 'ultra-violence' is not purely for shock value. It is used to portray the escape from ordinary life, and an underground revolution. It is not a drop-in boxing group. All in all this is an excellent film which reflects today's society and the release of male aggression.