Cathardincu Surprisingly incoherent and boring

SnoReptilePlenty Memorable, crazy movie

Fairaher The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

Taraparain Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

a_chinn Oliver Stone's indictment of the media told through the story of young lovers on the run, serial killers Mickey and Mallory Knox, Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis. Based on an early script by Quentin Tartantino, Tarantino took his name off of the film and instead asked for only a "story" credit. He's been quoted as saying if you love the film, that was Oliver, if you hated the film, that was Oliver, essentially disavowing the film, which I didn't really see why he'd want to distance himself from it at the time, but rewatching the film now, it was a smart move on his part to distance himself from this mess. I was shocked by how poorly this film has aged. It may be a case of it having been imitated so many times since then, both in terms of style and content, that the film has lost it's original impact; much like rewatching the original version of "The Exorcist" (thought that film is still good, it's just not as scary). After my disappointment re-watching this film, I got out my copy of Quentin Tarantino's original script and pretty much all of the moments in this film that do work were straight out of Tarantino's original version; a cool opening credits sequence with crazy rear projections, Robert Downy Jr. as a sensationalistic Geraldo-like TV news reporter, some sharp dialogue from from Tom Sizemore as Seymore Skagnetti and Tommy Lee Jones as Warden Dwight McClusky. When the film drifts into Stone's seeming obsession with Native American mysticism, indulgent mix media visuals (Rob Zombie used this same style to much better effect in his films), and everyone trying to out overact the person next to them ruins what could have been a tough, nihilistic young lovers on the run "Badlands" homage. Where I will give Stone credit is the casting of Rodney Dangerfield as Lewis' dad, in a flashback sequence to Mallory Knox's abusive dysfunctional home life prior to running off with Mickey, presented as a nightmarish sitcom from hell, complete with a laugh track that punctuates societal indifference to domestic atrocities. That was not in Tarantino's script and Rodney is a positively demonic and terrifying version of his usual comic on-screen persona. I'll also give Stone credit for a dynamite soundtrack (or at least for hiring Trent Reznor to produce the soundtrack) which includes Leonard Cohen, L7, Patti Smith, Duane Eddy, NIN, Cowby Junkies, Jane's Addiction, Barry Adamson, Lard, and many more. Downey, Sizemore, and particularly Jones seem to strike the best tone of giving completely over-the-top performances, but doing so without winking at the camera, which I think Stone allowed Harrelson and Lewis to do too often throughout the film. Sure the on- screen media frenzy surrounding Mickey and Mallory and their cult of personality was fed, created, and sustained by the media is Stone's major point of the film, but it makes the characters too much to take. You can catch glimpses of a good film every now and then, buried beneath Stone's sound and fury, but in general this film is a preachy, heavy-handed mess. Do yourself a favor and read Tarantino's original script instead of watching Oliver Stone's indulgent mess.

chaswe-28402 Goes on a bit. The suits who wanted to cut it down were on to something. It could have been shortened by about 25%. The violence ceased to be disturbing after a while. Screen violence is never really convincing, since one knows it is just a movie, and before long here it just washed over my head, and grew tedious. Only psychological torture actually hurts. The psychology here is limited to rather soppy romance, except in the case of Mallory's repulsive father, who got what was coming to him. The message of killing being naturally born was plain enough.Juliette Lewis was good in her part, and Woody Harrelson was OK in a less demanding role. However, Robert Downey Jnr, and the rest of the cast, when it came to the prison riot, were little more than a multiple pain in the neck. This was especially true of Downey and his twitchy face, which became exceedingly annoying and irritating. His would-be Australian accent seemed utterly pointless. The riot went on and on to no purpose, and while it may have entertained the public, when shown on television, it soon ceased to entertain me. The prolonged trippy, psychedelic style grew wearisome, as well. One watch, no more.

fabinhu_ritter This movie try to be exciting bur it isn't. It is boring and just "free violence" without any sense or logic. The criticism of media is just empty. Nothing is profound or have any reason to happen. Is just waste time. I don't know how this movie wins any award because to me is one of the most trash and bizarre that I ever seen.

Leofwine_draca Oliver Stone's most controversial film is a breakneck satire of the media's attitude towards violence. This notorious movie tells the story of a couple of mass murderers who end up getting caught in a media whirlwind as they're pursued by a shock journalist desperate for the 'number one' interview. Stone goes all out on style with this movie and it's one of the craziest you'll see: back stories are played out in the manner of '50s sitcoms, all manner of media is called into play (black and white film stock, back projection, hand camera) and the film itself is an over-the-top glorification of violence and insanity that just screams offence at just about everybody.It's actually a very good satire – one of the most biting I've ever watched – and also one of the darkest movies you'll see. That's after you get past the first hour, that is. Word up – I absolutely HATED the first hour of this film, which tells the story of a modern day 'Bonnie and Clyde' and their murderous antics. Stone's outrageous direction is matched by the outrageous performances he elicits from his stars, and it got very tiring after five minutes or so. There are plenty of better films in a similar vein and the previous year's KALIFORNIA, also starring Juliette Lewis in a very similar role, was much better.Then the killers are caught and the film becomes interesting AND original. Obnoxious TV journalist Robert Downey Jr., is introduced, sporting an annoying Australian accent and giving the craziest performance of his career; he damn near steals the movie from everybody else. Tom Sizemore's on hand to show that perverts don't just exist on the wrong side of the law, and then the whole film moves to a prison for the last third where it gets REALLY good. Stone depicts a prison riot as a trip to the very depths of Hell and his use of the hand-held camera during this bloody moment of mass insanity recalled to me the gut-wrenching depths of CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST. This final set-piece is bigger, starker, and darker than anything that's come before, and it's where I REALLY sat up and started taking notice.I don't really like 'message' films as such – and there's plenty for Stone to dwell on here. The cult of celebrity, the media's obsession with violence, true crime programmes, insanity, true love, crime and punishment, it's all covered here with plenty of intelligence. Woody Harrelson holds everything together with the bone-chilling performance of his career and while I've never liked Juliette Lewis, she's impossible to ignore here. Tommy Lee Jones goes way overboard as the agitated prison governor and Stone has a lot of fun with the violence, script and twisty-turny plot. Weird – a film I started off hating ended with me absolutely loving it. NATURAL BORN KILLERS is one heck of a roller-coaster ride.