Review of A Clockwork Orange (1971) by Brendan C — 24 Apr 2013

I like weird and violent movies, but this just goes about a hundred miles too far. The reason why this movie has such a cult following baffles me. I thought that this was probably one of the worst movies I have ever seen. Maybe even the worst film I have ever watched. It is just the weirdest movie I have ever seen, and it is the type of weird where you can't even figure out what it is about. Every scene is either so weird that it makes you uncomfortable, or it is too disturbing too watch. That is part of the reason why I hated this film so much, because of how disturbed I was by the whole thing. I like a few Stanley Kubrick films, but this one was just too weird. I know that the film is an acquired taste like a lot of his films, but I think I would rather not have the taste for this film. I have the taste for really weird films, but I don't like this one because of how disturbing it is.

Now I will admit that the cinematography of the film is great. There are certain parts of the film that really looked amazing. There are many things in the film that look really artistic, and the film does make Stanley Kubrick look like he is some sort of artist, besides a filmmaker. I think Stanley Kubrick is one of the greatest directors of all time, and this was one of his best jobs directing, but I hated the film for how bizarre, and disturbing it is. I think that from a directors point of view this movie is incredible, and if you think of it that perspective it is hard not to love. Even though this is one of the movies I hate the most I still did appreciate everything about it that makes Stanley Kubrick so unique and great.

It also has good acting from Malcolm McDowell. He plays Alex, a guy who you hate from the very beginning. You can tell from the start, and from the cover that it is all about him, and that is part of the reason why I hated this I guess. The film revolved around one of the worst characters I have ever seen in a movie. Not bad as in lousy, bad in as a terrible person. He is a sadistic sociopath, whose main interests are classical music, ultra violence, and rape. Malcolm McDowell did a brilliant job portraying him, and he really seemed insane and awful. The role did seem like it was a really difficult one to do, and I give him a lot of respect for pulling it off as well as he did. He really makes you hope that something awful happens to him, and awful things do happen to him.

He is the leader of his "droogs", Pete (Michael Tarn), Georgie (James Marcus), and Dim (Warren Clarke) in a futuristic dystopia that is London. They drink "milk plus" which somehow makes them go crazy and go on a "ultra violence" rampage, where they fight other gangs, and they drive up to one couples house, and cripple the husband, and rape his wife. The rape scene is one of the worst scenes I have ever watched. They just sing, "Singing in the rain" the whole time. That is just the start of the super violent things that happen in this film.

After a while his Droogs want more equality in the crimes they commit, and after he bludgeons a woman to death they finally turn on him, and they smash a bottle of milk in his face, and leave him for the cops. He is sentenced to jail, and is eventually tested at the hospital. The rest of the plot is so weird that I can't even explain it.

People say that this film is really thought provoking, but I just don't see it. I see how it is an incredible job done by Stanley Kubrick, but I just hated the film anyways. The novel I have no intention of reading, because I am sure it is more disturbing then this. I hated this movie so much, but I may watch it again to see if I like it more. But at the moment I just don't get it. This is a film that even if you like it you shouldn't really recommend to people, because it is offensive to watch. Too disturbing, and weird.