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Day 147: September 24th , 2010
The Experiment
Everyone has a breaking point.
This is an American direct to dvd remake of a German film called Das Experiment. With two Oscar winners in the lead roles and a good concept, I guess I expected a little more from this film. It was a well made polished film, but it lacked the emotion that was needed to really give it that powerful edge. It falls under the cliched saying of, watch the original instead.
A bunch of people answer an ad in the paper, an experiment that will last for two weeks. $1,000 dollars a day for a total of $14,000. No experience needed. The experiment? People are divided up into two groups. Prisoners and guards. They are locked away at a remote location, where they must follow 4 simple rules. If one of the rules is broken, the guards must take action. Cameras are everywhere, everyone is being watched and everyone has a breaking point.
Adrien Brody plays a hippie protester who was just laid off and if looking for some money. He answers the ad of course. Forrest Whitaker is a religious man who also needs some cash, he lives a life sheltered life with his mother. These two men form some sort of friendship through the auditioning process and both make it into the experiment. Obviously this so called friendship is tested because one is in position of power, while the other has his rights taken away.
The performances from the two leads are decent, Whitaker takes a special notice because he has a character that does a total 180. He gets off on the authoritative position he was given. His whole life he was a nobody, now that he has power, he abuses it. Whitaker plays the role well, he has the hint of crazy to him that makes it noticeable. Brody has the unfortunate task of getting the snot beaten out of him and humiliated at every opportunity. While he does a decent job, I never fully believed he met his breaking point.
The film was written and directed by Paul Scheuring, who has some prison experience, working on the hit show Prison Break. For a first time director, he seems to grasp the ins and outs. He has a good film here, but the imperfections are enough to ruin the overall experience. The problems that escalate in the film happen way too early. All these men are striving towards the same goal of $14,000. The lines are drawn too fast. All hell breaks loose to early. The experiment is suppose to last two weeks. Do we even make it past one?
The supporting characters aren't given enough screen time. Clifton Collins Jr. has a supporting role here. He has an interesting character that I wanted to learn more about, but he is always pushed off to the side and never explored. Some of the actions of the people in the film are questionable. I wondered why certain characters would follows others without question. The experiment itself isn't explored deep enough. The whole thing is about power and the abuse of it, what do people do? Do they do what is morally right, or what society deems morally right? If no one stops the experiment because of abuse, is it still okay to abuse people? These questions are just skimmed by on the surface, I wanted a bit more.
The Experiment
Everyone has a breaking point.
This is an American direct to dvd remake of a German film called Das Experiment. With two Oscar winners in the lead roles and a good concept, I guess I expected a little more from this film. It was a well made polished film, but it lacked the emotion that was needed to really give it that powerful edge. It falls under the cliched saying of, watch the original instead.
A bunch of people answer an ad in the paper, an experiment that will last for two weeks. $1,000 dollars a day for a total of $14,000. No experience needed. The experiment? People are divided up into two groups. Prisoners and guards. They are locked away at a remote location, where they must follow 4 simple rules. If one of the rules is broken, the guards must take action. Cameras are everywhere, everyone is being watched and everyone has a breaking point.
Adrien Brody plays a hippie protester who was just laid off and if looking for some money. He answers the ad of course. Forrest Whitaker is a religious man who also needs some cash, he lives a life sheltered life with his mother. These two men form some sort of friendship through the auditioning process and both make it into the experiment. Obviously this so called friendship is tested because one is in position of power, while the other has his rights taken away.
The performances from the two leads are decent, Whitaker takes a special notice because he has a character that does a total 180. He gets off on the authoritative position he was given. His whole life he was a nobody, now that he has power, he abuses it. Whitaker plays the role well, he has the hint of crazy to him that makes it noticeable. Brody has the unfortunate task of getting the snot beaten out of him and humiliated at every opportunity. While he does a decent job, I never fully believed he met his breaking point.
The film was written and directed by Paul Scheuring, who has some prison experience, working on the hit show Prison Break. For a first time director, he seems to grasp the ins and outs. He has a good film here, but the imperfections are enough to ruin the overall experience. The problems that escalate in the film happen way too early. All these men are striving towards the same goal of $14,000. The lines are drawn too fast. All hell breaks loose to early. The experiment is suppose to last two weeks. Do we even make it past one?
The supporting characters aren't given enough screen time. Clifton Collins Jr. has a supporting role here. He has an interesting character that I wanted to learn more about, but he is always pushed off to the side and never explored. Some of the actions of the people in the film are questionable. I wondered why certain characters would follows others without question. The experiment itself isn't explored deep enough. The whole thing is about power and the abuse of it, what do people do? Do they do what is morally right, or what society deems morally right? If no one stops the experiment because of abuse, is it still okay to abuse people? These questions are just skimmed by on the surface, I wanted a bit more.