Today’s quick review: A Clockwork Orange. Alex DeLarge (Malcolm McDowell), a teenage hoodlum with a taste for violence, spends his evenings cruising for trouble with his crew (Michael Tarn, James Marcus, and Warren Clarke). Their criminal antics take an even darker turn when Alex accidentally beats a woman to death and is arrested for it. Alex’s only way out of prison is an experimental therapy that could cure him of his violent tendencies.
A Clockwork Orange is a crime drama directed by Stanley Kubrick and based on the novel by Anthony Burgess. A Clockwork Orange is set in a near-future Britain where young criminals roam the streets unchecked. The story follows Alex DeLarge through the heyday of his criminal career, his incarceration, and the state’s attempts to reform him. The movie’s unique vision and sharp social commentary come at the cost of being a highly unpleasant experience.
A Clockwork Orange makes for a bizarre watch from start to finish. The movie is set in a distorted version of Britain that features garish fashions, colorful slang, rampant sexuality, dangerous streets, and a dysfunctional justice system. The soundtrack is a jaunty mockery of classical music, in keeping with Alex’s tastes, while Alex himself serves as the story’s unrepentant narrator, a guide to the violence that the movie puts on full display.
As a result, A Clockwork Orange will be a grueling watch for sensitive viewers. The movie does not flinch away from any of Alex’s crimes, and it often accentuates them with psychedelic imagery. Few if any of the characters are sympathetic; Alex and his friends are simply the worst of the lot. All of this is a deliberate choice to drive home the cruel nature of Alex’s character, but it will take its toll on the viewer nonetheless.
A Clockwork Orange does have interesting thoughts on criminal justice and reform, but there is a steep price to pay for them. Although the film succeeds in being a memorable watch with vivid visuals and a distinct style of writing, its gratuitous violence and sexuality mean that only steadfast viewers will want to see it through to the end. Steer clear unless you have literary tastes and can appreciate films that push the envelope.
For a similar dose of extreme violence and social commentary, try Natural Born Killers. For another tale of a dystopian future, try Fahrenheit 451. For a more action-oriented movie about a violent future, try Escape from New York or Dredd.
8.3 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for a memorable and unpleasant story; your score will vary drastically.