Enjoyable

Rating: Null/10 (9 April 2012)

I had heard a lot about this movie before even seeing it. It is often mentioned along with Fight Club and both of the Psychos as movies about angry adult men raging against the society and its corruption. So my expectation were high when I sat down to watch down this movie. And, truth be told, it didn't disappoint. It's a powerful movie with many memorable scenes, pieces of dialogue and a powerful main actor, the man himself, Robert De Niro.
The movie actually reminded me a lot about Rambo. Both movies have a war veteran, who just doesn't seem to be able to connect with the outside world anymore. They wander aimlessly through the society that doesn't care about them anymore and that tries to keep their influence to a minimum. The difference is that although Rambo is a bitter and at times brutally violent man, there's still a hint of idealism within him. He wants to be the good guy and gets depressed when the society once again disregards him. Not so much with Travis Bickle (De Niro), who's only purpose seems to be to get by. To waste away his life, half-heartedly trying to connect with it, but as he gets shunned again and again, that detachment turns to rage and we enter the Psycho/Fight Club territory.
And the movie makes that change work. The film is shot extremely well, with the first half of the film just drifting around, slowly following this uncomfortable, but strangely charismatic man, who always seems to either say too much or leave something vital out of his speeches. We get to see the city through his eyes and the city is very quickly found lacking. And as the city and its people keep dragging him down, he eventually accepts his apparent course and that's where the real teeth-jarring suspension starts. The final third of the film is one slow heart-stopper after another.
So yeah, the movie works, it really works. It's not for everyone and if you want your movies bright and optimistic, this really isn't your film. But for those that are intrigued by antiheroes and the ugliness of man's world, this is one of those films that you just have to see.