|
Reader comments on Elephant
Subject: "Elephant" promises much, but delivers little
Date: May 19, 2006
I stopped to watch "Elephant" on Cinemax the other night. After hearing a little about it, I had been curious about the movie. After sitting through it in the wee hours, I was left, at best, with a feeling like I wanted that hour and twenty minutes of my life back.
As I watched the first two-thirds of the movie, I figured at some point once the shootings began, the director's unspoken commentary on how and why these things sometimes happen would be revealed. The same few hours of the day, played out several times through different camera angles, was similar to "Two Days in The Valley." Movies like this, where you see the same events from different characters' perspective are usually intriguing.
Watching the film, you assume that the intent is to, at some point, become a commentary on these kinds of events. However, once the shootings start, it becomes fairly evident that the film is nothing but a long-winded setup for a punchline that is simply an indulgence in gratuitous violence. Teens run around screaming and falling like dominos in B-movie fashion. Very few of the characters exhibit any kind of immersion in the moment.. such as seeking cover or diving for an exit. They simply exist to be cannon fodder. Police never show up. There is no sense of crime and punishment. There's simply two teenagers shooting people for some inexplicable reason other than for kicks.
In a nutshell, the movie presents itself to be something deep and probing, and winds up being shallow and pointlessly violent. If there was any kind of commentary the director was trying to make, "Elephant" quickly became the kind of thing he was intending comment on - pointless violence for no point other than showing it.
Previous: GRRR.... | Next: SEXY!!!!
Respond to this message |
Return to original article: Elephant
|
Comment index:HI ALEX from Megan Saul, Nov 10, 2003
awsome from Jessy, Jan 6, 2004
read: from rebekca, May 1, 2004
yo! from brina and meredith, Jul 4, 2004
JOHN from Lana, Jul 5, 2004
WHOA from Sloane, Aug 2, 2004
Acadia from alex, Nov 24, 2004
wow!! from lauren, Dec 4, 2004
John from haley, Dec 7, 2004
BOYS from TJ, May 15, 2005
john from willie, Oct 11, 2005
wow from erin, Feb 4, 2006
GRRR.... from sydney<3JohnRobinson, May 3, 2006
» "Elephant" promises much, but delivers little « from Onikaze, May 19, 2006
whata from idkwhat, Sep 19, 2006
HI ALEX from Megan Saul, Nov 10, 2003
awsome from Jessy, Jan 6, 2004
read: from rebekca, May 1, 2004
yo! from brina and meredith, Jul 4, 2004
JOHN from Lana, Jul 5, 2004
WHOA from Sloane, Aug 2, 2004
Acadia from alex, Nov 24, 2004
wow!! from lauren, Dec 4, 2004
John from haley, Dec 7, 2004
BOYS from TJ, May 15, 2005
john from willie, Oct 11, 2005
wow from erin, Feb 4, 2006
GRRR.... from sydney<3JohnRobinson, May 3, 2006
» "Elephant" promises much, but delivers little « from Onikaze, May 19, 2006
whata from idkwhat, Sep 19, 2006
|
|
|
