This film is the second most controversial film I've seen this year (the first and foremost being 'L.I.E.', go see it). But after reading the numerous negative comments concerning this film, I feel that I should address these in some way. The first is that this film is boring, concerned for the most part with long dolly shots that follow students around the halls of the school, with none of the slick wham-bam editing that most directors toss into their films. Well, why would the director put all of these long boring shots in this film? Think back to high school. Half of your day was spent wandering through the halls! Meeting a friend - going to a class, it meant wandering through vast vast, vacant hallways. So the film is just mirroring reality. Not a terrible thing if you're going to make a realistic film. And if you hated that, the movie is less than 90 minutes long. So you won't have to suffer for long.
Another point about this movie is the stereotypes characters - the unpopular girl, the jock (complete with hot girlfriend), the bitchy bulemic girls, the bullied kid, the arts student, etc. Think back to high school...yes, they were all there! Just try to find a high school that isn't populated by these walking stereotypes! Thinking back, you can probably remember their names, can't you? So, once again the film was being realistic.
Another sore point with reviewers concerned the homosexuality issue. I don't even need to point out that high schools are a hot-bed of confused and experimental teens. There are gay people everywhere, including schools, just as there are white people and black people everywhere. It's a given no matter where you are. And the one scene that shows this is very short and not very graphic. One kiss - I mean, all you have to do is watch an MTV awards show and you're bound to see this a few times. So, you can close your eyes and the scene will be over in a minute. It's not a central issue in the film by any means.
The last thing I will say is this. While the movie takes it's time in exploring the cause and effects of school violence, no one person or thing is labeled as being the guilty party. This film makes it very clear that violence - in schools, anywhere - is random. No one really understands what drives people to kill, and this is what is so disturbing about this film. In the morning the young killers are seen eating pancakes, and that afternoon seen mowing fellow students down in droves. There are no miraculous tales of survival, no heroic acts that save the day. Just death for some, life for others. And that is the nature of this film - the randomness and finality of death. The ending of the film is definitely one of the most disturbing I've seen. Give this film a chance.
Another point about this movie is the stereotypes characters - the unpopular girl, the jock (complete with hot girlfriend), the bitchy bulemic girls, the bullied kid, the arts student, etc. Think back to high school...yes, they were all there! Just try to find a high school that isn't populated by these walking stereotypes! Thinking back, you can probably remember their names, can't you? So, once again the film was being realistic.
Another sore point with reviewers concerned the homosexuality issue. I don't even need to point out that high schools are a hot-bed of confused and experimental teens. There are gay people everywhere, including schools, just as there are white people and black people everywhere. It's a given no matter where you are. And the one scene that shows this is very short and not very graphic. One kiss - I mean, all you have to do is watch an MTV awards show and you're bound to see this a few times. So, you can close your eyes and the scene will be over in a minute. It's not a central issue in the film by any means.
The last thing I will say is this. While the movie takes it's time in exploring the cause and effects of school violence, no one person or thing is labeled as being the guilty party. This film makes it very clear that violence - in schools, anywhere - is random. No one really understands what drives people to kill, and this is what is so disturbing about this film. In the morning the young killers are seen eating pancakes, and that afternoon seen mowing fellow students down in droves. There are no miraculous tales of survival, no heroic acts that save the day. Just death for some, life for others. And that is the nature of this film - the randomness and finality of death. The ending of the film is definitely one of the most disturbing I've seen. Give this film a chance.