arara Reviews

The Isle (2000)

Painful introspection of a directors mind

[1/10 · 12 August 2005]

I generally don't give worry much about violence in films, or a vast amount of philosophy, symbolism or psychology. All this is very well with me and the film brings a lot of the above to us. There is beautiful pictures especially of the lake and the nature, a good setting of characters, a good direction. This film could be voted for as a good film. However, it is spoiled for two reasons and both of these reasons in relation make this film simply disgusting.

First of all there is violence used against living creatures to make this film. Not movie violence, I am talking about REAL violence. This violence alone maybe could be justified if not and thats reason number two; the message of the film was not mere introspection about the directors twisted relation towards women. Not that we all don't have some real twists with women.(respectively men). But the conclusion of the film ruins it all.

*spoiler* Our "heroine" finally dies, (by here own hand if I remember correctly I saw this film years ago and it enraged me, now the guy is out with a new film witch I am certainly not going to watch)and is now even more clearly depicted as some kind of natural demon, nature growing over her, in particular her sex.. Of course it is the director who "kills" the women heroine. Women have to die, especially if men are attracted by their sexuality. That seems to be the final conclusion.**end spoiler*

Well, well all that possibly would be fine with me if the director would have kept his view to himself. But to use big pictures, artsy directions cruelty to living creatures, just to say men can be frightened of women, and men are cruel to women. Thats just not enough. I knew when I saw this film it would achieve good critics for the "philosophical, eastern and artistic" and whatever approach. But to me this film is just totally marred.

Bloodsport (1988)

If you want martial arts, you get them here. Straight.

[17 November 1999]

What this film makes so enjoyable is that it deals with martial arts, the other story is well done but stays in the background. There is a bit love-story, friendship and so on - even martial artist are men - but you get your lot of fight scenes. And these martial arts scenes are choreographed beautifully. So sit back and enjoy and don´t forget to hit your punching ball afterwards.

Bullet in the Head (1990)

a trip into violence

[10/10 · 2 November 1999]

I saw this film once with my friends and it ruined our nerves. This film grabs and doesn´t let loose till its finished. It is the only film I ever saw that had violence really, not only so to say, non-stop. Even if the guys crossed a street or bought something to eat the bullet-showers didn´t stop. Watching this film is a nightmare because it just doesn´t stop till nearly everyone is dead. What it makes so attracting is the fact, that it works, this film is the climax of its genre, it is hard to imagine that any film can be more focused on violence than this film. Its also hard to tell entertainment from rejection and thats what John Woo can do better than anyone. His intensity in violence is close to Pasolinis 120 Days Of Sodom And Gomorrha and some films of David Lynch, but he does it in his own unique consequent ways, which certainly generated a new set a new style and standard in filming. This film though not so amusing as hard boiled got 10 instead of 9 because of its extraordinary strangeness. Watch this film and be sure to have a good beer with friends afterwards to come down again, otherwise your sleep will be affected.

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

This film wrecked my nerves

[8/10 · 24 October 1999]

I´ve seen this film in a triple feature along with The Shining and Blood Simple. Though the film is explicitly brutal only in the beginning the fear of sudden brutality in dreams, or real-life, (you cant tell anyway) is what thrilled me most. This film made the genre horror/splatter attractive to me.