A History of Violence 4K 2005

It seems that Cronenberg believes that our life is not a game, but an endless story of violence. A constant struggle for survival, from biblical times to the present day. From now on and forever, as long as humans exist.

Hence the sharp plot twists. The aggressor in the previous episode becomes the victim of violence in the next scene. Conversely, a character who exuded calm and respectability suddenly explodes into a spectacular brawl, shooting his attackers, firing a double-barreled shotgun at his offender, or committing fratricide.

Such is life. You can live together for many years without knowing who your husband really is, the father of your children, what your son is capable of, or how you will react in a critical situation. After all, in reality, good manners and decency are just a mask worn by a member of civil society, hiding the face of the beast that man was and still is.

Hence the sea of blood, the splatters of bodies torn to shreds, the long, deliberately drawn-out shots of the consequences of violent actions. Demonstrating both the effectiveness and efficiency of violence. It may seem unrealistic, but it is effective and vivid. It's easy to understand. It's either you or them. Today it's you, tomorrow it's them. If you want to survive, kill your enemy.

The script is simple (it is a comic book adaptation, after all), but it is well thought out and interesting. The production is high quality and, in my opinion, the action is skillfully filmed by cinematographer Peter Suschitzky. The fight and erotic scenes are particularly well done and well captured.

The actors don't have much to do. They just need to wear a mask of “good” or “evil” as directed by the director, and they hardly ever step outside their assigned roles. Strangely enough, it is not the main character who has the most freedom, but his son: Ashton Holmes, in his powerful performance, conveys a kind of mental turmoil and doubt (to strike or not to strike, to kill or not to kill). The rest act on biological and animal instincts. That is quite enough for this film.

It would seem that everything is simple. But when you think about the history of violence in relations between peoples and states, it becomes unsettling. A terrible story.