Review of Apt Pupil (1998) by Eric-Travis S — 20 Sep 2009
Nothing in this film would work if it weren't for the two leads, and that isn't because the story isn't strong enough; the relationship between the protagonists carries the weight of the film because of how perfectly emoted their power struggle is and how strongly contrasted their personalities appear when viewed in context of their age.
With this, all other oversights in the film can be overlooked and the dangerousness of the game being played begins to have an effect of all the seemingly inconsequential scenes around it. Though there are certainly a few too many montages and parts of the film feel rushed, the writing is top notch and does an excellent job of improving on Stephen King's original short story.
Overlooked and underrated in terms of everyone involved but lacking the stylistic panache for cult status, this film's uncomfortable middle ground in notoriety should only be a problem for those who have made their judgments before the film has started.
This review of Apt Pupil (1998) was written by Eric-Travis S on 20 Sep 2009.
Apt Pupil has generally received mixed reviews.
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