Reviews

This film is NOT the best of the decade, people (Note Schindler's List, Pulp Fiction, Shawshank Redemption), but it is really darn good. The visuals are the best depiction of surreal, gritty darkness since Dark City. The acting is superlative for both Norton and Pitt. Both HAVE done better work (American History X & 12 Monkeys, respectively), but each is energetic and very believable in their roles. I could have done without Helena Bonham Carter completely, though it was exciting to see her playing against Edwardian type... The Dust Brothers soundtrack works very nicely.

To dispell a myth, this movie is NOT the most ultraviolent ever. The homosexual rape of Pulp Fiction, the surreal psycho-sexual assaults and torture of Clockwork Orange and of course the martial carnage of Saving Pvt. Ryan all exceed the batterings of Fight Club, in both graphic detail and the overall ability to disturb the viewer.

The "twist" at the end of the film is sort of old hat material to anyone with any sort of experience with philosophy (read Descartes, Twain's "Mysterious Stranger," or even watch the Matrix), but is nonetheless quite unpredictable. The rebellion against corporate cubicle-generated consumeristic furniture catalogue materialism springs from the same frustration that fueled Falling Down and even Dilbert comics. This is just far more visceral.

A great film of the 90's and worth seeing for anyone 18-30 who has by this time become quite innured to cinematic violence. :)

Excepting Wings of Desire, this arty epic apocalyptic sci-fi/chase parable may be Wim Wenders' best work. The film features William Hurt visiting at least nine different countries, gathering images on a camera that records the electro-chemical act of seeing. He is pursued by a bounty hunter, several governments, a would-be lover and HER would-be lovers. Eventually the film ceases to be about a physical chase and focuses on man's pursuit of his dreams and the inner workings of his mind.

First, the weak point. This film is seemingly interminable. We've come to expect 2:45 hr movies to spice things up with gunplay or a sinking ship, and UTEOTW lacks such devices. Just as the characters reach Australia, the viewer feels the film is winding down. Wrong! There's another whole movie, just about! Nevertheless, to those who look past the superficial, and aren't plagued by the notoriously short American attention span, the film is a goldmine. Several characters are richly developed, and the many foreign locales help to retain the viewer's interest. The film's brightest star, however, is the soundtrack. So often, soundtracks nowadays are songs "from (the credits) and inspired by the motion picture," whatever that means. In this movie, the songs are hip, progressive and PERFECTLY integrated into the picture. In fact, I actually saw the film only after being really impressed by the cd. The musical talents include U2, REM, kd lang, Lou Reed, Depeche Mode and Peter Gabriel. The REM tune and others are unavailable in general release, and Gabriel's Blood of Eden is markedly different from that song on his Us album.

The thematic material regarding vision is not new (check out Oedipus Rex, for example) but the technological spin is unique. By that same token, Wender's '91 depiction of '99 is not so far off the mark: Satellite automobile navigational systems, sophisticated tracking devices and India as a growing nuclear threat are all presaged in this work. Again, if you are patient, enjoy attention to details and relish psycho-philosophical pursuits mixed into your chase scenes, this film is a winner all the way around, and makes great viewing for any Y2K-themed film festivals!. (also check out Strange Days!)