Review of Elephant (1993) by Mike H — 27 May 2012
Mesmerizing, hypnotizing, tense and horrific, Gus Van Sant has crafted together a film that puts the viewer in a high-school shooting. The director builds the tension so perfectly that even though I knew something terrible would happen, I was still thoroughly shocked when the violence began.
The film is very slow, but at the same time it is fascinating to follow these teenagers around this seemingly normal school. Van Sant is such a master storyteller that some of these characters do not need to be explored any further then their initial appearance and behavior.
When you think everything is okay then the director gives us face time with the killers: two teenagers who everyone thought was harmless and insignificant. Yet, underneath their calm demeanor was a plan formulating to lash back at society.
The title makes perfect sense: there was obviously a huge problem with these kids, but nobody seemed to notice or nobody seemed to care... until it was too late. This film isn't for impatient people and it isn't for anyone looking for a simple explanation.
Rather, the film forces the viewers to take a look from several different perspectives to examine how such a horrendous thing can happen in a suburban American high school.
This review of Elephant (1993) was written by Mike H on 27 May 2012.
Elephant has generally received positive reviews.
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