Review of if.... (1968) by Adrian B — 23 Jan 2013

At a boy's boarding school in London, three young men (Malcolm McDowell, Richard Warwick, and David Wood) are becoming restless and begin to exhibit erratic behaviour in front their peers, which begins to concern the instructors and staff of the institution.

They begin to engage in disorderly conduct, such as drinking, larceny, and exemplary rudeness. However, that is only the beginning of what lead to an ugly conclusion (and a frightening forshadowing event during a war game in the country that precedes the final showdown).

Slow, thoroughly paced, but absolutely fascinating, well-made movie which shows the rebelliousness of the counterculture movement during the late 1960's through a small population of individuals. McDowell, in apparently his screen debut, is at his most creepiest, and the film primarily falls on observing his increasing sickening attitude towards life.

The conclusion makes the film prophetic, because of number of events that have occurred in the world over the past few years seem to be similar circumstances. From the year that brought the world "2001: A Space Odyssey," for me, this film exceeds it in greatness.