Chopper
Australian Rating: R Medium level violence
Starring: Eric Bana
Genre: Drama/Crime
A simple one-line analysis would go like this: The best god-damn movie I have seen this year!
I have found this year that I haven't enjoyed as many movies as I probably should have. Here is a list of all the movies I have seen this year, that I can remember: Three Kings, Lake Placid, Cut, The Talented Mr. Ripley, The Green Mile, Hanging Up (shudder), The Hurricane, Mission to Mars, American Beauty, Sleepy Hollow, Scream 3, Gladiator, Romeo Must Die, Stir of Echoes, Mission Impossible 2, Bringing Out the Dead, The Perfect Storm, X-Men, and The Patriot. Of these I only really enjoyed about six of them (Gladiator, American Beauty, Sleepy Hollow, Cut, Stir of Echoes and X-Men), but now I can add another to the list!
Chopper is such a good movie, that it draws attention to the mindlessness that is generated when big budget is the main concern. Chopper is noticeably low budget, but the performances are so perfectly exact, that you are completely convinced by this brilliant character study of Mark Brandon "Chopper" Reid, a renowned criminal, who believed he was doing the world a service by ridding it of drug addicts and other criminals.
The true story of Chopper is a clear depiction of the character's motives and thought processes. His personality is so intricately created through Eric Bana (well known for his comic abilities on such shows as Full Frontal) that it becomes truly chilling. Bana is superb as Chopper - an absolute revelation.
Not only is Chopper an outstanding character study, it also manages to surprise and disturb the audience as humour is found in extremely violent situations. Chopper is in no way glorified, and his crimes are not excused, but through creating an amusing situation, we are brought closer to understanding what it is that makes Chopper 'tick'. His casual personality, and his assertions that he is just "an ordinary bloke", heighten the shock value of his violent behaviour.
Comedy is not the purpose of Chopper; it is incidental. Laughs are not aimed for, but are achieved through the character's personality. Nor is Eric Bana delivering a comic performance. His portrayal of Chopper shows amazing depth and talent, that seems common with many comedians for some reason.
For once, we have here a movie that seems to fit it's running time perfectly. A mere one and a half hours is filled without any dull moments, and without leaving detail out. It seems to end naturally at this time. And at the conclusion you feel you know Chopper, who comes across as the "ordinary bloke". If only there were more movies like this, with no preoccupation with budget, with room for true expression. This is the pinacle, and it is the type of movie that makes Australian Film great. Screw Hollywood, 90% of more of there movies are shit. Support Australia people (even if you are from another country).
If this isn't proof of the worth of the Australian Film Industry, then I don't know what is.
Last updated: 24 August, 2000