A History of Violence pays off for Croneberg

[Colin]

After three decades of making creepy movies like Scanners, the Dead Zone and Dead Ringers, director David Cronenberg hits one out of the park in a movie which captures the swift, unfair, coldly-calculating raw emotions of violence and the sheer impact its micro-second life has on the rest of ours lives forever.

<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Last year, A History of Violence was toted as one of the Academys best candidates for movie of the year. After finally getting a chance to see it from Blockbuster, I can see why. This movie slowly gathers force and rips through our sleepily lives like a tornado. There are no plot surprises here. A mere whiff of a hint of what we already know. A peek at the deep abiding love only a few of us are luckily enough to know. A truth about the quiet little joys in life, the power of love and the frightening big bad world that surrounds us. With a tenderness that almost makes it a love story, a warmth that encompasses a family flick and a sudden horror that never looks away from blood, gore and an awesome talent for killing, Croneberg builds upon Viggo Mortensons stately Lord of the Ring performance with few words, intimate close-ups and a thoughtfulness reminiscent of Clint Eastwoods wonderful Unforgiven, Mystic River and Million-Dollar Baby, in which company, this excellent film certainly deserves to be mentioned.

On my dollar scale, where rentals score $5 and ownership is $20, I give History an easy $15, maybe $20. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I could rent this again, if only to comprehend the swift brutality of the action scenes juxtaposition with the raw sexual attraction the husband and wife feel for each other and the vastitude of familial bond. Powerful stuff, their lovemaking. Incredible stuff, this horror of butchery. Hard to see this movie as a mere R rating.

Own it? Perhaps, if only to prevent this vision of yin and yang in our lives from disappearing into the gray horizon. Balance, the late Pat Morita extolled in The Karate Kid. Life is about balance. What makes this movie so good is the horror film master balances the fast scenes of unbelievable and unremittingly carnage with the sedateness and ingrained passion of a successful everyday life. We have within us, each of everyday us, the capacity to unleash a road rage of anger at the frustrations of modern life. Cronenberg unleashes the fire here with the deft skill of a pyro who loves the flame.

[chuckears]

And from another perspective...

I bought it on the strength of reviews and an appreciation of the actors involved in the project; I watched it once, and regret the purchase. There did not seem to be much of a core to the film, too much of the violence did not derive from enough purpose (except for in cases of self-defense), and there was no suitable or satisfying denouemont to the story.

I have no desire to see it again (even the nifty love scenes with Maria Bello), and much prefer an Eastwood film, at least for insights into humanity and appropriate outlets for violence.

This film just left me cold.

[RickB]

I thought the first half of the movie was pretty good, I didn't care too much for the second half.

It was worth a one time rental to me though.

[oldbuckster]

A watch and forget movie at best, rather disappointing, normal hype, nothing different or special here.

[dblue]

Thought it was really good. It can be taken on a few different levels, and the depth is what appeals to me.

Viggo's

character is a representation of humanity itself, and it's

history of violence. Througout our history, violence has been a centerpiece, and history constantly repeats itself in this respect. No matter how civilized we think we are, how far we think we've come, the past

always repeats itself. Violence is part of who we are, and it is never far from the surface despite our intentions or notions.

[Joe Shmoe]

Yup, I liked it...

http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/thread/710786.aspx

[theryugobuddy]

Yes--this was touched on here a few weeks back--

A damn good movie--when his wife realizes she married a lie, but she so loves him -- it cut pretty deep. Alot more questions and difficult situations in this movie to ponder than just mindless violence -- I couldn't disagree more about the violence--there was alot more mystery about what would happen than a Hollywood buildup to ultimate revenge. It felt darn real to me.

Viggo played it right --understated and lethal when he had to be -- and William Hurt put in his best showing since I don't know how long--

If you don't like this, you probably only like being spoonfed your plotlines --

[Amy]

If you don't like this, you probably only like being spoonfed your plotlines --

Nope, I usually dislike movies that don't make me think. I just didn't like this one. []

[theryugobuddy]

TeeHee--

I just threw in that last line for fun--

I feel the same way about most Shakepseare movies where they speak his words-- too much for me to listen and think and decipher--

[Mikekid]

Are there any GOOD actors anymore? Even some of the "old timers" are losing it.

Anyway, I thought the movie was very poorly acted.