Review of Natural Born Killers (1994) by Kurt F — 24 Nov 2014

Watched Natural Born Killers for the first and a half time (I turned it off half way through last time). I actually enjoyed it a bit more. It's still too much for me. I can tolerate a lot in a film, but this film almost crosses some lines.

Also, I think Tommy Lee Jones gives what I would consider his worst performance on screen; he was more stable (not to mention likable) as Two-Face in Batman Forever. As the prison warden he chews up more scenery than just about any actor I've ever seen.

But, the second half of the film, which is primarily set in a prison, is where the movie stabilizes and I started to enjoy it. Robert Downey Jr. gives one of his greatest performances as an Australian TV producer.

Also Woody Harrelson is excellent as the titular Natural Born Killer. The climax of the film, which involves a prison riot, is overly bloody but very exciting. And there are endless manipulations of the film medium that Oliver Stone attempted only in this one film, the best being the "sitcom" scene featuring Rodney Dangerfield as Mallory's (Juliette Lewis) abusive father.

Dangerfield gives a great two-scene performance as one of the depraved human beings I've seen on screen. I actually am surprised Oliver Stone was not up for Best Director in 1994. So it's a mild recommendation for me, this could be a film that grows on me.

I cannot say that most people would enjoy it, they won't. If you're into watching Badlands if it were filmed by a film crew on LSD, then you might enjoy Natural Born Killers.