Trailer:
Cast:
Malcolm McDowell ("Bolt" (2008) Dr. Calico (voice), "Halloween" (2007)
Dr. Samuel Loomis) - Alex
Patrick Magee ("Chariots of Fire" (1981) Lord Cadogan, "Barry Lyndon" (1975) The Chevalier du Balibari) - Mr. Alexander
Michael Bates ("Frenzy" (1972) Sergeant Spearman, "Patton" (1970) Field Marshal Sir Bernard Law Montgomery) - Chief Guard
Warren Clarke ("Dalziel and Pascoe" (TV Series, 1996-2007) Det. Supt. Andy Dalziel, "Top Secret!" (1984) Colonel von Horst) - Dim
Plot:
A young teenage boy named Alex fancies himself as the leader of an ultra-violent group. They (maybe) go to school then head over to the milk bar where they get their drink on to prepare for the night of rapings, beatings, gang warfare, and other such acts. One night, however, his group turns on him and leaves him blinded on the step of a health spa wherein Alex had killed the spa's owner. He is sentenced to prison for forty years and, after two years, is inducted into a non-violence therapy session. Can the violence be convinced out of him? If so, what might be the consequences and can he face his past in the real world after the treatment?
Criteria:
0/5 – No value whatsoever. Absolute waste of time.
1/5 – Barely worth any time.
2/5 – Pathetic but has a bit of something to hold the attention a little.
3/5 – Somewhat kept the attention but could definitely have used more.
4/5 – Good, but not awe-strikingly amazing. Could have maybe used a bit more to the movie.
5/5 – Go see it! Wonderful movie all around – characters, music, theme, storyline, etc.
3/5 - This is NOT a movie for all people. If you can get to the point where he is captured, the violence is dramatically reduced. However, there are still clips of allusions to sex and violence throughout the whole movie. If you are a prude thinking that sex is gross and nakedness is gross, DON'T watch.
I find the idea interesting that you can potentially teach/train the violence out of people but there is always the catch of "do they have choice or free will?". In that respect, this movie is wonderful, though the therapy session that they do is rather extreme... *SPOILERS* They force Alex to watch violent videos (rape, murder, the Third Reich, the world wars, etc.) as medicine in his system causes him to become sick and experience pain. Yeah, Pavlov's conditioning method. Interesting though rather gross to view, in my opinion.
*SPOILERS* The conditioning worked and, due to it, Alex had an issue with the real world. He had to confront two of his former victims as well as two of his group mates, and he was unable to fight for himself due to the sickening painful feeling that the conditioning caused in himself. Does that mean that the therapy was good? No, but one could argue that it still did good to stop him from the ultra-violence.
I think that the ending could have used an epilogue or a "this is what happened afterwards". Did Alex return to the ultra-violent lifestyle or did he merely hide it like Ted Bundy? That's one thing that could have been added, in my opinion.
Good movie but "must see"? NO. Not even in my top 100 movies. I can say that I have watched it but I will not want to watch it again, even if it was a Kubrick film. >.>
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