Review of Atlas Shrugged: Part I (2011) by Seth K — 01 Jul 2011

As a kid, Rand's books were the only thing that kept me alive, and probably kept my school from being in national headlines. I expect that is the case for many people. It was Rand who first convinced me that violence was not the appropriate response to violence or abuse, from peers or authority figures. I suspect that many of the Rand haters are exactly those bullies who picked on unpopular kids, who picked kids who went their own way, kids who who didn't fit in or kid who didn't think it worth their time to obsess on sports, teen fashions, etc.

This is a film that had everything stacked against it, the studio system, the film financial system, the Hollywood intelligentsia, and so forth and so on. It made it onto the screen through the perseverance of a single businessman, who as I understand it, was not in the film business, but who spent 30 years and a little over $10 million of his own money to make it happen. Within that framework, the film is a success, despite any aesthetic and literary weaknesses, some of which are clearly recognized. The film was famously rushed into production to beat an expiring option deadline, and it has some appearances of rushed direction and editing, perhaps to meet an April 15 release date. That was probably not worth any marketing gains, especially given that there was virtually no marketing.

And it should be noted that some of the film is actually quite good. The maiden run of the John Galt Line is thrilling, Graham Beckel's performance as Ellis Wyatt is spot on, and charming. The film is worth seeing if for no other reason than because it isn't the usual drivel coming out of Hollywood, because it is an interesting interpretation of the present day we are living in, and because it is a film that should have been made long ago. The man who spent a good portion of his life pushing it into into production deserves a return on it.

Many of the honest critiques are good ones. The honest critiques are few and far between though, most are hatchet jobs. This film is at least the equal of anything that you would see on television though. Hopefully the box office returns will convince the studio system that they've been ignoring and undermining this project as their own loss. If this is the film that an amateur with $10 million can produce, it would be very interesting to see what professionals with a substantial budget could achieve.

(Oh, and by the way, if you want to see how powerful this film could have been, had it been updated for 21st-century America and 21-century American audiences, watch V for Vendetta.).