This film is likely to be argued about for the next 50 years

Rating: 10/10 (14 March 2008)

I'm one of those who was mesmerized by this film from beginning to end. "Juggernaut" is the word that comes to me in describing the impact I felt.
You know from the very beginning that this will not be a happy "feel good" movie. Those who, like me, were heavily impressed by this movie, undoubtedly have the same morbid fascination. This is a bleak "Nobody wins and only a fool would try to" movie.
Possibly, the sanest character in this is the most psychotic appearing. He has a "code" of some sort and also some sort of a definition of justice while setting himself up as a judge of who is to live and who is to die, although it on occasion amuses him to let the flip of a coin determine a person's fate.
I'm writing this after only one viewing and that in itself isn't entirely fair. I would say that if you see this film, you will need to see it again, possibly several times. 2007 was a year of bleak films and that is possibly working against this one. Several films this year such as GONE BABY GONE, THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES, 3:10 TO YUMA, IN THE VALLEY OF ELAH among others leave one with a feeling of uselessness of life. And so in such a year, it's difficult to judge what is "art", what is "honesty" or what is "truth".
Again, this is a movie that must be seen before it can be judged, and even then may need to be seen several times before one can give a fair opinion.