Chaka
Footballguy
The method and action of the killing spree was entirely irrelevant. They could have recreated Columbine to exact detail and it wouldn't have contributed anything to the film. It was all about the set-up, realization and aftermath.I agree, this one definitely isn't for everyone, I have said that from the beginning.It wasn't really his looks but his actions in general that felt forced. Dexter's moves generally all make sense. He's cold, calculating, sometimes emotional...but his moves all have a logic to them. Don't think they compare at all outside the fact they're both monsters. The killing spree was the climax of the entire story. Certainly Tilda and her son had struggles before the gym, but it's that moment which really throws her out to the world and sets up the heavy metaphors (omg, red paint!). Hard for me to say it isn't really relevant.We've agreed on several films but couldn't be further apart regarding the bolded. At least folks are talking about it and it's drawing strong emotions. I saw you and cstu both enjoyed it. I searched back and saw jzilla hated it. I despised it. I don't think our tastes are THAT different so it's probably something folks should watch so they can draw their own conclusions.My girlfriend commented that Kevin looked like a Twilight vampire which likely contributed to the cartoonish nature you describe. But that kid was straight up cold and emotionally empty from start to finish. He was Dexter without the benefit of Harry. For lack of a better term I didn't like much about the execution of the killing spree either but I don't think that was really relevant to the story and the director, wisely IMO, didn't spend too much time on it.As far as realism I think there probably should have been more tantrums when Kevin was younger, like his uncontrollable crying as an infant, but his coldness as a teen felt plenty authentic.I don't understand how you could possibly like the movie. So we're on somewhat the same page. I thought his interactions with his dad were as silly and fake as his character in general. Just empty motions from an 'evil' character because the plot called for it. Not a single thing rang true about the kid. Yes, I know he's supposed to come across as somewhat fake. But the evil should at least feel real. He felt cartoonish and downright comical. The school massacre was as silly as everything else. It felt like a filmmaker who has no voice of her own and simply copies better movies. This was the Jim Belushi of its genre.Fair enough, I'm not asking you to like it I just don't understand your criticism. Honestly I question how closely you were watching in general if you also missed out on how he completely changed his personality when interacting with his father. Riley wasn't being clueless Kevin was manipulating him, on many levels I think he may have actually even loved his father.Looks like he was simply eating a massive chunk of meat at the counter and they deliberately made it overly messy. I was already disliking the movie when it got to that part and my frustration was boiling over. We'll have to agree to disagree. I thought it was a very intriguing and promising premise that was executed very poorly. Perhaps the fact I do enjoy/ponder these stories raises my expectations too much.
I do agree Swinton did a great job acting out the role.
Good film, worth watching but not for everyone.
Last edited by a moderator:

Haneke is pretty easily one of the best directors in the business at the moment imo, and he just won another Palm d'Or a few days ago with his new film. I still need to catch up on a bunch of his first ones.
Does that make sense?
I wasn't talking about reading subtitles on a regular basis (I do that all the time), I was talking about reading (or listening to) olde English idiomatic dialogue presented in iambic pentameter. Like reading a play by Bill Shakespeare.