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Review on NBK

I believe this movie to be a great piece of film which was not a case of MTV style film noir. Those who said the graphics were baroque in some sort of way, are narrow minded and unable to see the beauty in Mr. Stones vision. One person said there wasn't enough commentary on the antimedia messages Stone was trying to express. Well, this wasn't watching a debate, this was a movie. In which cinematography and visual were used to entertain as well as depict the media power in America. Those who do not like this are completely ignorant to good film making, Oliver was a genius and a creative madman for making his art so seriocomically graphic and entertaining. Want to see real graphic, watch the news, this was fun to watch with a political message behind it.

I'd rather watch the news

Just another mess from Ollie the Stoner. A half hour story stretched out to 2 hours makes for another bore-fest. Nearly ten years after its original release, this piece of schlock seems completely outdated. Remember the furor over the "violence" in "The Warriors" in '79? That movie looks like an episode of Happy Days now, and it is still more interesting than this film!

Hate to disagree...But I must!!!!

I guess almost everyone missed the point Stone was trying to make here. Social Satire! He pokes fun at everything in sight, from the exagerated actions of our two anti-heroes (Harrelson & Lewis), the hypocrisy of rating-hungry sensationalistic "tv" reporters (Downey), to the justice system and the corrupt fools who run it, to law enforcement in general, even to the capture scene with the police resorting to barbaric measures for no reason whatsoever! Not to mention a miniscule supporting roll for Dangerfield that was worthy of an Academy Award in my book! No, I am not a sick person who laughs at car accidents or mass-murder, nor do I condone the actions of Harrelson and Lewis as socially acceptable. I just enjoy a great flick, and this is one!

Entertaining garbage

I couldn't stand this film when it came out because i was only a young kid, and it annoyed me, because it was so sensationalized as if it's cool to kill, for teenboppers at my junior high they liked it and bragged about seeing it and how cool it was, that's why i hated it, but i'm 23 now, and the only reason i watch it, because woody harrelson is one of my favorite actors and juliette lewis is also a great actress, a natural talented actor and always has been. My aunt said to me one night, not that her opinion matters, she said "IT JUST SHOWS YOU THAT YOU DON'T NEED TO BE BEAUTIFUL TO BE IN HOLLYWOOD MOVIES AND BE FAMOUS, JULIETTE LEWIS IS UGLY." To me, juliette lewis is a hottie, despite the fact she played a psychotic in this film, and did a dam good job of it too. I liked her blonde wigs most of all. She has a nice body, sexy lips, and that smokey voice that gets deep when she's upset, which adds to her mentally unstable character in this film. It's completely believable when she plays mallory, the psychotic lover of mickey, played by woody. I don't know how to describe this but i will try. First of all her redneck accent is perfect, and her brown natural hair, and hairstyle, goes perfectly with her criminal character. Remember in the 80's that hair style, almost like a butch dyke hairsttyle but it was long hair, kinda short on top but long in the back. It's hard to explain, not really a biker style haircut, but anyway it goes great with mallory's character when she's not wearing the wigs, her true self is revealed, and that haircut, really was a nice touch. Also, another good actor in this film was the detective chasing mickey and mallory, the one that's nuts also, and wears the g string as he killed the hooker. I forget his name, but he was in true romance which is one of my favorite films. So all in all, i can stand watching natural born killers even though it's bizarre sometimes comical, but great acting, and great actors. As for juliette, who is one of many talented and often underated and unfairly forgettable actresses, needs to be recognized for her talent. I saw her in my town one time, i was at a stoplight and looked to my right and there she was sipping a starbucks frappacino in her car, and she turned one street down where i live. I think she's beautiful. I should know because i'm a woman and i'm bisexual. Ugly? No way. My aunt is just jealous of her because i said i saw her, and what a great actress she is and how many great films she has been in, and thats when she made that rude comment about juliette. Also woody harrelson played a good psycho too, sweet to his girl, but killed anyone who got in their way. Very interesting film. Somewhat thought provoking because at times you sympathize for mallory and mickey because they are in love, and had absuive childhoods, and you sometimes wonder if they still have a heart if they are able to love each other, and they respect the indians who took care of them, after woody accidentally shot him thinking he was his father. I should have known this was an oliver stone film, just think of midnight express. So for the acting and creativity, i give this film 5 stars.

An Exercise in Shock Value, with added irony on my Part

Okay, let me get the one gripe away from this movie, which is the basis of it's three star rating. This movie just doesn't hold up to repeated viewings, even when you back and try to watch it again. For example, the I love Mallary bit was hilarious the first time around, but, how, I really don't crack much of a laugh. However, while I will probably never be that entertained by Natural Born Killers again, it is certainly a movie that you will not regret watching. Especially with the unrated version out, there really is no reason not to watch Natural Born Killers, even if only view is enough.

Natural Born Killers, one of the more controversal movies made, was even cited as a scapegoat for the Columbine Massacres (and the people who accused the movie of promoting violence are even more stupider than they thought). But to promote this movie as being a glorification of violence is dead wrong, heck, it's satire. It's a movie that revels in violence, yes, but none of the violence is very aesthecized. It's what makes other directors such as Martin Scorcesse somewhat special in the violence department. Rarely did I watch the violence with a hint of joy. In One particular distrubing scene, Mickey and Mallory (note the good together sound) burn Mallory's mother while she's tied to a bed, with no intentions. It also revels in it's way to make the media look cold and foreboding, especially in the light of the two serial killers. And the relationship of Mallory and Mickey is a bit romanticized and really kind of compassionate and makes them look like human, something that the earlier Bonnie and Clyde failed miserably.


Natural Born Killers, still, however, has nothing quite like yet in it's directing and art direction. While the violence is not particulary joyful to watch, the one trick ponies that wear off are still worth watching because it still makes the movie pretty exciting. The shot in the hand is pretty brutal, as well as people getting stuffed into ovens. It's got some pretty perverted $#% scenes, especially a scene where Mickey attempts a threesome; the "third", of course is a pretty hostage bound and gagged (notice the emphasis of her eyes. Nice touch, Oliver Stone). It's extremely psychedelic, uses a plethora of camera angles, colorings, and tricks. It's art direction affects the movie's way of telling the story. Not to mention how trippy some of the scenes are. I really enjoyed some of scenes with fire, weird faces, rapid shots of lot's of, uh, stuff. Sure, the movie does drag a bit when it's at it's slower moments, but on the whole, Natural Born Killers is no bore. It can really be a feast for the eyes at times.

In sheer irony, why does it seem that I am totally unfazed by the actions second time around? ah ____, thanks to Oliver Stone in telling me that I am probably part of the problem they are playing. Come on, I'm cynical about the downfall of society, you think I'm a shining beacon in the race we call human? Hell no! I causing trouble as well, filling up the garbage with lot's of _______ (though I do recycle). As a matter of fact, we are all. Probably.

Oh, and one other thing. This was based on a Quentin Tarantino script, so therefore, it automatically gains value. Cool!

C+

Why all the fuss?

This movie is horrible. Why is it listed under "cult favorites"--is there really a following for this tripe?

Regardless, here's a low rating to balance off all the (completely irrational) five star ratings above...

psychedelic- the director's cut

I recently saw the directors cut of this excellent film and highly suggest this version to people who liked this movie.
Oliver Stone gives some good insights into the film and provides us with some great scenes that, sadly, he had to leave in the cutting room. My favorite is one with Denis Leary, but I also love Steven Wright!! Also, Tommy Lee Jones plays one of the best roles of his life in this movie

So so bad

God, what an awful thing ! Oliver Stone probably wanted to experiment or something (see the terrible use of music and pictures here) but what for really ? The whole thing behind "Natural born killers" seems to be a "clever" look at how medias can turn into complete trash but unfortunately the movie turns into trash itself. Please Mr. Stone, next time you want to criticize the fascism of tv shows using violence to get high rates, avoid doing the same with your movie ! Michael Haneke said quite cleverly about this film that it was denouncing media fascism with fascist cinematographic ways. How true... Only he forgot to tell us about the massive headache you get after sitting through this overlong load of crap !

my favortie movie ever

watch, or don't watch it I could care less.


It's the best movie I have ever seen. With the greatest soundtrack I have ever heard. ( the Downward spiral and NIN.. are also my favorite album/band .. with out question)

I love even the tiny little details and even the cinimatic mess ups in this movie. ..

I grew up in oklahoma city when this movie came out, and it really captures this feeling or rage and contempt you get growing up surrounded by all those corrupt bible hugging freaks that in reality are the scum of the earth. They plague your life constantly with the Candy Coated hate-mongering and close minded view of life. Don't know if it was intended or just a part of the great choas of life, but this movie just really speaks to me. I really don't care if it speaks to anybody else anymore.

The Ultimate Style over Content

Its very difficult to say whether this film is an absolute mess or a post modern masterpiece. With many critics, this was the case, as 'Natural Born Killers' was either praised or viewed as grotesque and disgusting. I had the hardest time judging this film, as there are so many things going on that it was like one head trip after the other. Oliver Stone, a director known for producing controversial material, and this is probably his most controversial to date, has decided to take his film-making to a whole new level, and really test the audience. I had a hard time coming up with a final decision because there are some great scenes that truly stick with you, and there are some moments of randomness that doesn't seem to make any sense or fit in with a particular scene. What I mean by the ultimate style over content is that it's exactly that. Oliver Stone seems to use every camera angle and cinematography technique known to the world of cinema and used every single one left, right and centre in the space of one hour and fifty minutes. This ranges from colour transitions, switching to black and white, quick-cut editing, first person shots, tracking/crane shots and animation, and all of which are seen within the first 10 minutes. This is one of many flaws, and another is the lack of character development. Although maybe there is, as you see an odd-ball couple arguing you find yourself asking what is a 'perfect' relationship when the one you love is also a mass murdering psychopath.When viewing this, you simply will not hold any emotion towards Mickey and Mallory (Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis) a couple on a road trip across Route 66 whilst on a brutal killing spree. But then I stop to realise that maybe this film isn't about the development of the characters, and more on the subject of how Stone has created a satire, deliberately targeting the media, and completely mocking how the mass media have glorified violence. If that's the case, then this is where Stone succeeds. Oliver Stone is suggesting what America has become over the past decade, emphasised through over the top flashing imagery and pure, pure bloody violence. A generation fascinated by how murderers are the main attraction in a socially depriving country. The messages involved are rarely even seen by audiences and just feel that it contains meaningless violence. So I suppose, when I sit and think about it, the violence is there for a reason, yet many did not acknowledge this.The performances here are excellent, with Robert Downey Jr. as Wayne Gale, a reporter who irresponsibly turns Mickey and Mallory into superstars of the mass murdering genre of news reports. Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis portray the white trailer trash, sick and twisted couple to perfection, whereas Tommy Lee Jones plays a crazed, hyper prison warden. However solid the performances are, its not enough for it to redeem itself from the montage of cinematic trickery that Stone exposes you to. At times it is too much for the eyes to take, and surely Stone could have restrained himself.One perspective that I did find interesting was how Mickey found Wayne Gale to be the evil of society and vice versa. Mickey sees Wayne as scum, as he is more interested in ratings and glorifying the ordeal of a three week slaughter. As Harrelson's character strings together reasons for why he does what he does, the one-liners in the dialogue are great. 'I don't kill on Wednesdays' just sums up this whole film. The glimpse of optimism is cruelly taken away by Oliver Stone's uncompromising vision. With jingles echoing in the background of the vicious scenes the director has definitely captured a disturbing atmosphere throughout, with odd dash of dark humour.Art-house geeks will certainly be impressed by what 'Natural Born Killers' has to offer, but for the casual movie-goer, it might be too much to handle. I like to see myself as somewhere in between art-house and casual which is where my review has been placed. I see this film as an exercise in lateral thinking (for some) combined with extreme violence.

People are idiots

Is everyone insane? You idiots are impressed by natural born killers? Really.... you guys need to get out more. Its funny, because most of the people's post that I read said "if you didn't like NBK, then you just didn't get it"... as if you are trying to cover your tracks by saying you liked it... trying to make people feel like they don't know anything about movies if they thought NBK was a piece of s##t. Some of Quentin's movies are great... loved Pulp and true romance... but this has no power in it.. no meaning. It's comedy is retarded ..... oh and anyone who thought this movie is hilarious, obviously just didn't get it ;) People are impressed by this movie because it is something new and different... something out of the ordinary. This movie was made to sell.. there was no cleverness that went into it. It was made on hype.. and it seems that there are enough idiots out there to buy into the whole "independent movies are better than Hollywood movies" thing. What a joke.. and people say this is a work of art. This is what it is: its one of those paintings where someone splashes different paints on a canvas, calls it a work of art, and sells it for a half a million dollars! No thought...no creativity. Anyone can reach into the depths of their mind, pull out darkness and distortment, and put it into a screenplay. This movie was 2 thumbs DOWN!!!!!

NBK and the Bush White House

This is how Bush sees Amerika -- O.K. not his rich friends. I have already been massively critisized for my comments on the Amerikan south. The critics missed the point. It is not the south that I have trouble w/ it is the stereotype. The Bush White House believes this stereotype, but applies it to all of Amerika. To quote Dekker from "Blade Runner" there are real people "and then there are little people." Bush lives in the world of NBK.
Anyone not worth $100 million might as well be Mickey or Mallory. No wonder he his helping his rich friends loot the country.

Hollywood clean up your mess so we don't have to look at it

Tommy Lee Jones who plays a major role in this movie had a line in an earlier movie where he commented, "what a mess!" I can't help but think he was also applying that phrase to this unfortunate flick.

Violence in movies isn't always a bad thing

Many people have disregarded Natural Born Killers as too violent. I, on the other hand, disagree with those people. Natural Born Killers is shot very well. There are many very well done, cinematic shots that are worthy of recognition. The screenplay is spectacular. It tells the story of two youngsters who run away from home and go on a killing spree, and the problems and struggles that they encounter. This screenplay packs action, drama, emotion, and comedy into one brilliant piece of literature. This movie may be violent, but the violent is necessary. It is a movie about a killing spree, so you can't expect it not to be a little violent. Lastly, the acting in this movie was very well done. All the actors do a very good job expressing emotions through speech and action. Near the beginning of the movie, there is a segment where the female lead is at her home, and her father is played by a comedian who wrote his own lines for this part.

What's all the fuss about?

I just caught this film by chance yesterday as part of a brief retrospective by my local cinema, and as I'd heard a lot of talk about it but never seen it I thought I'd give it a go. (It's worth noting that the film was due to be shown in the cinema a few years ago but the Censorship Board wouldn't allow it as it was banned in Ireland!) Anyway, having seen this film I don't know what all he fuss was about. Apart from a hilarious turn by Tommy Lee Jones, and a great soundtrack, including 3 tracks from the sublime Lenny Cohen, this film is rubbish! All the hoopla over the violence it seems was a vain attempt by the movie machine to get people to watch this film. It reminded me of 2 other films I'd seen recently, Intimacy and Le Pornagraphie, which were so bad, they had to resort to shock "most explicit sex scene!!" tactics to get people into the cinema.As for the violence in Killers, if you do like watching a lot of gun toting, then get out Takeshi Kitano's 'Brother' (And I know that the violence in Killers was meant to be symbolic!) Or have a look at Baise Moi which is as empty as killers, but mercifully shorter!Overall, a film is successful if it affects or moves the viewer, and if this film had stopped halfway through, I wouldn't have cared. In fact, I'd just be sorry that I'd missed Lenny playing us out with The Future!Noel

Probably the most talked-about film in history of cinema

I've seen this film a few times and still not sure what to think of it. Is it a satire like some people think or is it "A Bible of Terror" like other's think? At first I thought that this is a satire, but it's obvious that it's much more than just a satire. Most people talk about some important messages than this movie brings us. One of them was that media is poisoning our minds and it's true but I don't care, if you don't like it than don't watch TV. I get another message. It's that everything in this world is the way it should be. And that people are the way they were born and the way society made them. Not much depends on us. This movie is also known for inspiring some mass murders and serial killers. So this movie is really something to talk about. Anyways it's also a very entertaining film full of action, beautiful visuals and some black humour. Woody Harrelson is a very charismatic actor though his popularity is very unstable but he's still one of my favorite actors. Juliette Lewis did great as Mallory Knox, she was very suitable for that role, very similar to her another role from movie Kalifornia. Other actors were good to, like Robert Downey Jr., Tom Sizemore and Tommy Lee Jones. I know that Quentin Tarantino didn't like the way this movie was changed by Oliver Stone and it's possible that Tarantino's version would be even better but I think than Oliver Stone did a great job too. Aspecialy I liked the wedding scene and the interview scene. And if I'm not mistaking, that wedding scene wasn't in Tarantino's original script.

Oliver Shows Quentin How to do IT!

This, along with Q. Tarantino's 'Pulp Fiction'once again lit the blue touch paper in the 'Violence in the Movies' debate. Is this film worth all the hype? - YES it is, but not for it's violence but for the sheer audacious movie making that Oliver Stone had once again shown. Out has gone a lot of Quentin's snappy and witty dialogue, although the QT trademark is there, but the showmanship of OS is at the forefront. This is what Q. Tarantino would and could not have acheived - a mad, bad and altogether out of body movie which debates that society and the media should be more accountable for their actions in the depiction of violence that is all around us. This is a complete cop out and should be ignored at the outset. Take this movie with a large pinch of salt and sit back and marvel at the splicing of different filmstocks 35mm Super 8 and also the fusing of cartoons in some areas. Plot, there is no plot, Mickey & Malory Knox ( Woody Harrelson / Juliette Lewis) kill and they enjoy it they have no morals, scruples and no compunction in doing what they do! Superb performances from all concerned above and also Robert Downey Jnr., Tommy Lee Jones and Tom Sizemore. This disc is nothing short of brilliant as it has superb missing/deleted scenes, alternative ending and one of the best audio commentaries fom Mr. Stone himself into the sights and insights of the film. Good / Bad? You decide, although it's not easy watching... you have been warned.

Brilliant

A true masterpiece. This film is truely one of the best if not the best movie I've ever seen. Offering a chilling perspective of the human animal in an inhuman society.

it's satire people

Please after reading the reviews on this movies i thought i was not watching the same movie, this movie is an indictment of our glorification of violence in our society and the media that exploits it for fiancial gain. the performances were top notch by these fine actors and actresses and you could see they were over the top its funny, yet sublime its satire people. perhaps you negative reviewers heard of it when you open your comic and read the "Boondocks" or listen to Parilament-Funkadelic's later albums. stone's intent was to parody the violence we see everyday in the various media(music, art, t.v. etc..) later that year o.j. simpson was on trial and the media expliotation mirroed the movie from the ' media talking heads' to the side show celebrites like kato kalien downey's character is like a modern day bill o'reilly ( who was one of those "journalists") using people for ratings and money for our corprate media and that what this movie represents. we as a society glorify violence of all kinds then we get angry and critcize those who produce it and then our media trivializes it and celebrates it for our enjoyment.

Absolutely Stinks

This is without a doubt the most sickening movie EVER made.With enough blood, guts, car chases, and ALL the violence a person needs in a lifetime, ANYBODY that would think this is a GOOD movie belong in the same category as William Gacy.