Natural Born Killers (Director's Cut)

There's something going on in every sceen of the movie, like Owen at the beginning in the diner, or pictures of Mallory's father when she's with the gas station attendant. The movie was deep (sorry about the cliche) like in the whole Native American sceen where the word "demon" and "too much t.v." flash on the muderers chests. Later in the movie we hear more explictily about the demon in Mickey's amazing television interview with Wayne Gayle.

But the main reason about why is movie is what it is and somehow more, is its message. It isn't subtle about it either. The media has gotten way too important, fed itself fat on society's rich blood, and yet we scream for more, we want our blood sucked. Every day our lives are permeated with violence, violence in movies, television, the news, and we crave it. Natural Born Killers was a wake up call, and a choatic brilliant one at that, turning a warped mirror around and pointing it at the audience. You see those people worshipping Mickey and Mallory at the outside the court sceen, that is us, that is who we are, and this movie tries to get us to wake up and see that.


The Worst Movie I Ever Saw   October 29, 2000
14 out of 20 found this review helpful

Without a doubt, the worst movie I ever saw. I remember sitting in the theatre, looking downwards when coming to another boring inevitable murder, and then turning to a friend, and saying: someone's going to take this movie seriously and go on a real life murder rampage. I was right. Unfortunately. Sometimes you have to be responsible for your work. Stone recklessly made this garbage only to make money. He should have known that some whackos would take this seriously and go out and kill to be popular.

I remember the scene where some demonstrators were holding up signs saying 'Kill me' or 'Murder me', and thinking how utterly stupid this movie was, and how stupid Stone thinks his audience is. I feel so sorry for those real life poor innocent people who were killed by the teenagers who watched this movie repeatedly and then were killed. They didn't have to die. What price does freedom of expression come with? For the innocents, their lives.

Have we gone completely mad?


Lost in a World of Ghosts...   January 26, 2004
Michael Crane (Orland Park, IL USA)
12 out of 16 found this review helpful

"Natural Born Killers" is Oliver Stone's "take-no-prisoners" assault on the media that is cinematic eye-candy to the teeth. It's an uneasy satire to watch, but it is an extremely effective film that is both thrilling and funny. Many people loath this movie, as it is not an easy one to take. I feel there's a lot of ugly truths hidden within, and those truths aren't very easy to accept for most. For those who are aware of how manipulative and hypocritical the media world can be are in for one crazy and unforgiving ride that has no limits.

Mickey and Mallory Knox may appear to be your ordinary couple, but they aren't. In fact, the two are notorious serial killers who love to get their adrenaline pumping by destroying the lives of others. The media has pretty much made the villainous duo heroes to the public, as they can't get enough of them. They headline every single news program with absolute pride. As the two continue their bloody rampage through the states, the public is watching every step of the way with bloodshot eyes.

The structure of the film is usually what turns people off from it, but I thought it was all executed perfectly. It doesn't follow your basic plot structure in the same way most films do. We're presented with the characters, the conflict, resolution, etc.--but it's pieced together in random spots as if you were surfing through different channels on the TV. This is extremely effective for what Stone is trying to convey. It's a disturbing film because it actually sheds light on something most people don't want to fess up to, and that is the glorification of criminals and violence. I found it to be a breath-taking satire, as well as an outstanding film all together.

One of the many strong points that this film has is the amazing acting from the superb cast. Woody Harrelson is savagely entertaining as the notorious "Mickey," while Juliette Lewis is beautiful and deadly. Robert Downey Jr. is a complete joy to watch as he partakes in the role of the obsessive talk-show host who is only concerned with ratings (now, who does he remind you of?). It also must be said that Tommy Lee Jones gives one of his funniest performances ever--the expressions on his face are absolutely priceless.

This particular DVD version of the movie contains a bunch of goodies for DVD fanatics. One of the main features is that this is the "Director's Cut." While it's not much longer than the original theatrical version, certain extended shots and angles deemed "controversial" have been restored in this version. The picture and sound quality is really great and does the film the justice that it deserves. Extras that can be found on the DVD include the director's commentary, deleted scenes, an alternative ending, and cast and crew interviews. Not a bad package, if you ask me.

"Natural Born Killers" is an absolute cinematic treat to film buffs. While it's most likely not to be welcomed with open-arms by most, it certainly is entertaining to those who love it. It's not your ordinary movie, that much is for sure. If you're looking for a risk-taking satire that defies all of the rules and boundaries, this might be the choice for you. It's a unique experience that never loses its appeal or originality. -Michael Crane


A nightmare of depravity?   September 2, 2004
Jeffrey Leach (Omaha, NE USA)
12 out of 15 found this review helpful

No other film in recent history has been as controversial as "Natural Born Killers," Oliver Stone's 1994 treatise on violence in America. Perhaps Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" stirred up a few tempers, but the response to that film pales in comparison to the massive outpourings of indignation over this motion picture. Newspaper articles appeared daily documenting how audience members got up and left the theater in disgust due to the movie's excessive carnage. My favorite response came from then Senator Bob Dole of Kansas, who referred to Stone's picture as a "nightmare of depravity." The media, apparently unaware that they were the director's primary target (or they knew it and just didn't care), went off on one of their periodic self-examinations before once again engaging in the same activities so viciously parodied in the movie. Such hysterics! Such a bunch of hypocrites! The same people assailing the film's subject matter apparently never made the connection, never realized that they were the ones sitting at home eagerly watching the latest courtroom soap opera, the latest episode of "Cops," or the most recent movie of the week based on a murder case. In one respect, I sympathize with people disturbed by the movie: Hollywood preaching to us about violence is like having an unrepentant alcoholic forcing you to go to AA meetings.

"Natural Born Killers" is the story of Mickey and Mallory Knox (Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis respectively), two down on their luck losers that go on a multi-state killing spree. In the course of their numerous grisly crimes, the pair becomes the latest media darlings. Pictures of Mickey and Mallory soon adorn magazine covers, newspapers, and T-shirts. They also capture the attention of muckraker extraordinaire Wayne Gale (Robert Downey, Jr.), a Geraldo Rivera/Hard Copy type sleaze ball who cannot wait to capitalize upon their story. The reporter gets his chance after hardboiled detective Jack Scagnetti (Tom Sizemore) finally brings the criminals down. Gale plans on hosting a special interview with Mickey Knox inside prison, a show he hopes will draw enough ratings to outdo anything seen on television before. Pulling off such an incendiary interview behind the walls of a maximum-security prison is no easy feat, as Warden Dwight McCluskey (Tommy Lee Jones) tries to inform Gale. Undeterred, the "journalist" goes ahead with his interview. Predictably, chaos breaks out as Mickey guns down a bunch of guards and liberates his beloved Mallory (held in the same prison, surprisingly). Can you believe it? The film actually ends on a happy note--sort of.

Of course, that's not the whole movie. Stone tries to show us how Mickey and Mallory are products of our desensitized, media saturated environment. He tells us the story of how the two met at Mallory's home in sitcom form, complete with laugh track and credits, although its one of the most violent sitcoms you'll likely see as Mallory's father (played by Rodney Dangerfield) verbally and physically abuses his family. By the time Mickey escapes from prison and runs off with Mallory, the two are in a state of love that apparently transcends time and space. It also transcends morality, at least the type of morality commonly accepted by most people. No one is safe from the ravages of Mickey and Mallory Knox; they murder anyone who strikes their fancy, be it police officers, women, men, young, old, etc. Meanwhile, Gale is turning these two into a national pastime with reports and specials loaded with frenzied sensationalism concerning their latest exploits. Even celebrity homicide cop Jack Scagnetti plays the game, secretly acting on a sort of wannabe sadism so he can appeal to Mallory. Yep, "Natural Born Killers" is quite a viewing experience, a film that one must see for themselves in order to understand the weirdness of the whole thing.

If you've seen a few Oliver Stone films, you might guess what this movie looks like. The non-traditional camera angles and quick cuts seen in "Nixon" and "JFK" jockey for position with hallucinatory imagery, animated sequences, a haunting soundtrack, copious use of overt and covert symbolism, and a host of other bizarre cinematic techniques. It soon becomes quite a chore to follow "Natural Born Killers" in any logical way as the movie skips about like a broken record. A single viewing of the film will only allow you to marvel at the flash; it takes subsequent attempts to appreciate the message and the performances. The cast does an incredible job with difficult material, with Robert Downey Jr. definitely stealing every scene he's in as the horrific Wayne Gale. His character, I think, is really the centerpiece of the movie. He stands as the archetype of the American media, the sociopathic, insensate bottom feeder interested in human misery as a means to higher ratings and higher profits. In the end, though, Stone indicts all of us for watching this stuff, for feeding the very violence we proclaim to despise.

I'm happy with the Director's Cut DVD version. You get a ton of extras here: a commentary track with Oliver Stone, trailers, extra footage, a "making of" documentary, and interviews. Of special note are the deleted/extended scenes included as a bonus. We finally get to see the Ashley Judd courtroom appearance, which is a lot of fun considering what Mickey Knox does with a pencil. I've noticed a few other DVD versions floating around out there with even more extras, so picking out a specific edition might be difficult. I guess I can't really agree with Bob Dole's take on this film. Yes, much of what we see is depraved, but the message of the film is spot on and has continuing relevancy ten years after the film emerged. Definitely give this one a go.




"Widescreen" my foot!   December 30, 2005
Technopagan (The land of Hypocrisy)
12 out of 13 found this review helpful

Im reviewing the "widescreen" release of this movie and not the movie itself (which I give 5 stars).

Basically, this is a 4:3 version, shown in 4:3 with the top and bottom cut off. This is absolutely the dirtiest filthiest trick the studio could pull, and it really ticks me off to have paid money for this.

These studio's wonder why people pirate movies? Well this DVD release is one LOUD and CLEAR reason. I feel they just robbed me with their false advertising of this title - and I'll have to really think about whether I buy a movie from them again.

Sleazy studios. Someone should file a class action suit against them.