Review of A Clockwork Orange (1971) by Sidney S — 17 Jan 2013

A disturbing, and haunting vision of a dark future. A future filled with crime, and menace by various gangs, and an ingenious but mind shattering cure to stop such outrageous crimes. Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange is unlike any film I have seen before. It is a film that takes upon the subject of crime and analyzes its continued growth in society notably by the young, and how in the future we may do what it takes to stop it.

This film can be seen as a morality tale and a metaphor for putting yourself in the position of those you have done wrong to as well as making right. The film is very deep in this theme and subject matter as well as that of being an intense psychological film. Upon film's beginning you would not expect this, you merely see four delinquents causing frequent harm to others without a care in the world, only to laugh and continue to do so. Lead by their much sociopathic leader Alex, who harmfully cements his position as the leader. Alex played brilliantly by Malcolm McDowell is a character whom upon film's beginning you hate, he is the scum of the earth, remorseless criminal and a violent psychopath. But after everything that happens to him by film's end from the torturous cure we are now put in his position on the opposite end of the violence. We as the audience can not help but to feel pity for him even though he does deserve it.

The film deals with subjects such as murder and rape. Showing how along with being a dystopian sci fi film and psychological drama it is as well a crime film detailing a life of crime and how it has effected those around him (Alex). The film's ending scene as well is one that will make you wonder, has Alex indeed been cured as an ideal human being, or will he fall back into his villainous, sociopathic ways again.

Kubrick is indeed a genius with his excellent screenplay adapted from the original novel and his great directing. He puts you in the character's head, never lets you forget where he is or how he is feeling. The incorporation of the music is also huge, especially with the character Alex. Despite the film upon start being very (very, very) weird upon start and at times pretty obscene, its style completely changes to an intelligent film that still has an impact on the film industry today. A true classic, this Academy Award nominated film is without a doubt clever, smart, dark and a story about how we may think we can change but who we are at one point is and always will be there. Excellent filmmaking on a grand scale.