ViewGuide

Created Aug 26, 2012 05:10PM PST • Edited Aug 26, 2012 05:10PM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   OK 2.5

   A macabre tale of a twisted couple (Woody Narrelson and Juliette Lewis) who road-trip along route 666 (yeah, that’s right – route 666) on a killing spree that serves as the backdrop for director Oliver Stone’s almost psychedelic filming style. This is a cult movie to be sure – but unlike other cult movies, this one is very dark. Rather than just something fun, this film tries to convey a pointed message about the bad side of humanity, told in a uniquely Oliver Stone kind of way. Killers are sort of given an excuse of horrible childhoods, and American public are seen as turning the horrible in to celebrity. In the end, the movie comes across as a bit confusing and requires a bit too much of an effort to appreciate what it is trying to accomplish. So, cultist? See it! Otherwise, let the buyer beware.

4. Acting

   Very Good 3.5

   All in all, it was a great casting – but the excellent troupe couldn’t save the overly confusing film….

   Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis make a sort of neo Bonnie and Clyde in Stone’s surrealistic world. They work better together than the movie does.

   Rodney Dangerfield and Edie McClurg are satirically funny together in this film, but Rodney ends up being more scary than funny.

   Robert Downey Jr – shows his early roots as an annoyingly self centered character. You guessed it – he’s excellent at that.

   Tommy Lee Jones – surprisingly good as the crazed warden

   Steven Wright – a pleasant cast addition as the strange Dr. Emil

5. Male Stars Very Good 3.5

6. Female Stars Very Good 3.5

7. Female Costars Very Good 3.5

8. Male Costars Very Good 3.5

10. Film

    Barely OK 2.0

    What was Oliver thinking? He tries too hard in NBK. If he backed off a bit and made the film a little more realistic, I think he would have had a blazing hit on his hands.

11. Direction Barely OK 2.0

12. Play Barely OK 2.0

13. Music Barely OK 2.0

14. Visuals Barely OK 2.0
15. Content

16. Edge

    Horrid 4.3

17. Sex Lewd 4.3

18. Violence Savage 4.3

19. Rudeness Nasty 4.3

21. Reality

    Surreal 2.9

22. Circumstantial Surreal 2.9

23. Biological Surreal 2.9

24. Physical Surreal 2.9