Review of Taxi Driver (1976) by Rafael L — 05 Feb 2014

This film redefined the vigilante films to a whole new level. Who would know that in the late 70's this movie would touch such delicate themes and inspire new filmmakers to do the same. Taxi Driver is a film that represents one of the most important rules for cinema: characters.

It follows an ex-marine called Travis Bickle, a lonely young man that wants to help to change his city; his journey is presented by showing us his daily routine and expressing his feelings and life philosophy via a diary.

This aspect of the movie maybe not the most overwhelming, but it's crucial to understand the changes on Travis' life and the situations that he encounters. It's a neo-noir film filled with social satire and the human behavior.

Scorsese's shots talk by themselves and help to develop the character, along with a really precise cinematography that captures New York's filthiness and dangerous alleys. The score composed by Bernard Herrmann captures the greedy tone of the film with jazz that captures a mob feeling on Taxi Driver.

Definitely one of the greatest films ever made, Taxi Driver will always be remembered as the movie that made you question your own sense of morality and made vigilantes look cool.