Madpole's
Memento movie review
Warning, Madpole's
review of Memento contains a spoiler. Memento
is fantastic, so watch the movie first knowing
absolutely nothing and read afterwards!
- Jim. Over to Madpole...
Memento is a true, "inter-active" psychological game with the viewer.. the movie got on my
nerves at some point and I found it boring and wishing to end... but
that is it... if we are undergoing psychological tests we probably also
feel like "I've had enough, why are You still torturing me, let me go
home!".....
Of course, after seeing the movie I have to see it again... and it might actually turn up that it
is not so boring 2nd time around...when I am a casual observer rather
then the subject of the experiment...
I dunno if stating on the cover that the movie is in "reverse" does a
lot of "damage" (although of course it does take some element of the
surprise away)...I actually read the cover after seeing it but don't
even remember this being mentioned (my memory must be going hehehehe)...
I think classifying movie as "psychological thriller" does much more
damage and I would not have watched it if I knew that it was classified
as such (even when I started watching it and opening scene had some
reference to violence I was thinking "oh no... I am not really in the
mood for this" and nearly stopped)
I also liked the "atmospheric value" of the
film... the repetitive music... repetitive structures...it
was kindda like "garage music" or whatever those
things are called... music which lasts for like
15-30 minutes and is all repetitive and first
of all very annoying but then one kindda "slips
into trance" and it is all suddenly nice and
nearly addictive....
This is NOT a psychological thriller, as advertised by media and sadly
director himself. I don't quite understand why the film was branded as
such (wrong marketing strategy perhaps') for I believe people who like
thrillers will be disappointed by this film. And people who like
original and thought provoking film most likely won't see it for the
very reason.
Saying that the theme of the film is human memory would be a vast
understatement. The film FORCES us to question what our memory means
to
us and wonder to what extent memory defines who we actually are. The
film makes us realize that our memory is not just a mere storage
facility, and encourages us to face an uneasy question of what part of
us is our 'true self', detached and unaffected by our memory. In this
respect the film becomes the active study of one's self.
The active study, because film does not raise
most of the issues, it leaves to the viewer
to question and wonder about the subject. It
does that by attempt, successful in my opinion,
to enable the viewer to EXPERIENCE hero's feelings,
emotions and thought process - rather than
simply tell us his story.
Movies where the viewer is an active part of the film are so rare, if
not unique, these days that I classify this film as a '*must be seen*'
just for this reason.
P.S. Imagine purely religious person, whose
faith was raised and supported by Holy Books,
imagine dedicated agnostic, full of scientific
proofs , and imagine somebody who does not give
a donkey. And they all lost their memory. Which
one would end up being most 'truthful'? And
which of those people would waste most of their
lives on arguments they don't support anymore?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. The film made me realize
that we are gambling our lives on our memory.
It also helps to understand many of human conditions
much better.
*There is no end to this film. It will resonate
through your life forever.
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| From: |
Mike Chiotis | Subject: | 2003-06-12 10:04:24 |
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[Eadon's review of Memento is
here]
