Natural Born Killers (1994) Dir: Oliver Stone
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I've had my eye on this Oliver Stone directed cult classic crime film for some time, and while I didn't know much about it beyond the basic premise, I was very excited to see how I'd find it. It looked like a film I would enjoy, that's for sure, and the majority of reviews seemed to suit that notion too.
I'm convinced whoever edited the film, did so while on hallucinogenic drugs. At first, it was baffling, but once I got used to it, I appreciated its effectiveness, its uniqueness and its creativity. It really won me over. It gave everything so quirky, visceral feel that really suited the piece.
The film boasted a great soundtrack, which included the use of music from the likes of Rage Against The Machine, Dr. Dre, Nine Inch Nails and Bob Dylan. Honestly, it was cracking, and the variety of songs fit the film's aesthetics perfectly.
I liked the unorthodox storytelling - the intriguing way in which things played out; it was a bizarre but enthralling trip. The film was a thrill ride of genuinely insane events, visuals and dialogue that made for some bonkers entertainment.
Woody Harrelson's performance had a little bit of everything. He showed so much variety, and did so with that unmistakable charisma and talent that he possesses in spades. Mt favourite parts of his performance came in the more casual scenes, where he really thrived.
I loved how loose and demented Juliette Lewis was in the other leading role. She was the figurehead for the deranged energy of the film, but also managed to show a few moments of sincerity amongst the chaos, which I appreciated a lot too.
Robert Downey Jr. was utterly unhinged - it was wonderfully entertaining. He was bizarre, he was loud and he was all over the place, but it really worked. The big surprise for me was Tommy Lee Jones, who was hilarious! I've never seen him so energetic and crazed.
I also think that Tom Sizemore, Rodney Dangerfield, Edie McClung and Jared Harris all deserved mentions for their respective, though much smaller supporting roles. Sizemore in particular was good value for his screentime.
Overall, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from this one, but once it got me hooked, I stayed hooked. The film was batty in the best way. I had such a good time watching it. The strangeness could've been off-putting, but I loved it. I can absolutely understand its cult classic status.
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