A Clockwork Orange

100 Movies in 100 Days
Movie 4 Day 4
A Clockwork Orange

How do I write a review for a movie I have been avoiding for 14 years? I tried to watch A Clockwork Orange when I was 18 and dating a guy who loved cult classic films. We sat down to watch it and I made him turn it off in the first 15 minutes. I didn't feel comfortable watching a violent rape scene with my boyfriend. I have avoided the movie ever since but the whole point of these reviews is getting outside of my comfort zone. I decided to give it another try because it is considered a classic.

For those of you that don't know, A Clockwork Orange is a 1971 movie directed by Stanley Kubrick. The story is narrated by Alex, he goes around England with 3 friends raping, robbing, assaulting, and murdering people for fun.  He is caught and the government tries a form of brainwashing to try and cure his cravings for criminal activity.

What did I think of A Clockwork Orange? I absolutely HATED IT. I did not find A Clockwork Orange enjoyable at all but I am here to review the film regardless of my personal feelings. There are parts of the film that I can appreciate from a creative perspective. So I will start with what I hated and then move to the parts I can respect as a film critic.

Director Stanley Kubrick was known for pushing the envelope. He seemed to enjoy making his audience feel uncomfortable and exposed. A Clockwork Orange portrays women as objects and uses rape and nudity as a lazy plot device. There is nothing artistic watching multiple women being terrorized and objectified for the pleasure of the men on screen. Maybe it's the feminist in me but I hated every moment of this film. I saw it as glorified pornography, showing the secret violent sexual fantasies of deplorable men. I know there was more to the story than gratuitous violence and rape but I had a hard time separating it. 

SPOILERS AHEAD

The ending enraged me. He gets away with everything! He gets out of prison 12 years early because the criminal cure worked. The side effect for the cure is if he thinks of committing a crime he becomes violently sick. So the government believes he is cured and release him back into society. Alex does not have it easy upon his release. His family wants nothing to do with him. He runs into his old crime pals, who are now cops and they kick the crap out of him. He wanders into the house of one of his victims, the victim remembers him and tortures Alex. Alex then jumps out of a window to end it all but he doesn't die. He wakes up in the hospital and the government is worried he will sue, so they offer him a job with tons of money. Not only does Alex get away with everything but he's rewarded!! What the actual heck is that!? He is a violent, horrible criminal and he is going to be awarded for it. How does that make any sense? What a terrible moral of the story. I'm sure Kubrick was trying to be profound and say it was the government's fault and bad people still end up on top. I get that but it does not mean I have to like or agree with it! I wasted 2 hours and 17 minutes for the rapist to get away with everything. HORRIBLE ENDING

Ok I know I'm ranting. You should see how fast I am typing, I'm so fired up. To be fair, there are a few things I can appreciate as a film maker. The portrayal of Alex by Malcolm McDowell was brilliant. Even if I hated the character, I still believed the performance. He was charismatic, charming and a sociopath. I appreciated how the character almost never blinks, it made me completely uneasy. He delivered his lines with an eerie rhythmic cadence that stays with you until the credits roll.

The cinematography was beautifully shot. Kubrick had a way of making wide shots seem intimate. You see so much in one frame, almost like a vulnerability of the characters. The colors and images contrast the emotions of Alex. When he finally hits rock bottom, everything is muddy, dark and gray. When he feels empowered the scenes have an orange, red and white tone. It was beautifully filmed.

I understand why A Clockwork Orange is considered a classic. It is beautifully filmed and the script is witty and unique. Only Stanley Kubrick could pull off a violent story and make it seem like art. This also shows, just because a film is considered a classic, it doesn't mean I have to enjoy it. I didn't and I never will. I hope I never have to watch this movie again. I was bored and disgusted, not my cup of tea at all.