Badlands

"At this moment, I didn't feel shame or fear, but just kind of blah, like when you're sitting there and all the water's run out of the bathtub."

I remember reading a while back about the serial killers this film is based off and I stumbled upon this film, only recently I had decided to watch it.

Title: Badlands
Year of Release: 1973
Director: Terrence Mallick
Genre: Drama/Romance/Crime
Rating: 7.5/10

This film is about Kit and Holly, Kit 25, Holly 15, they fall in love. Kit is quite a poor man, Holly's father doesn't approve of Kit and Holly being together. Kit desperate to not be separated from Holly, he kills her father. They then flee from police and bounty hunters across America.

Martin Sheen makes this great film so much better. His character is a complicated one, he doesn't really show his emotions, not even his love for Holly, but regardless it is obvious he loves her a lot. He is quite trigger-happy and kills people without thinking twice, and he never shows any large deal of regret. The character of Kit is certainly very interesting. Holly is quite a lot the same as Kit, but she is not a killer. She just is a young foolish girl going with the flow simply because Kit is the first male to ever love her like the way he does. She doesn't approve of him killing, but she doesn't question it or bug him either. Kit knows what he has done is wrong, and from the beginning he is willing to take whatever is coming. Kit, despite killing people he is still very likable, it seems he has a few screws loose but he still seems human, not a psychopathical killer, this is especially obvious in the later scenes.

This is one of those films that is short and simple, yet so great. The acting is as I've said quite damn good, the characters are interesting, and the plot, just as interesting. It's not a explicit film, it doesn't glorify killing in any way, it doesn't make killing look cool, and the characters aren't intended to be all that cool either. It's not like many other films about Serial Killers, usually, they will go into the psychology a little more than this, they will try show them to be Monsters, unreasonable and disgusting, these characters aren't any of those characteristics. Again, this does not justify killing, but it's very unique in it's approach to such a morbid subject.

The soundtrack is interesting, it doesn't consist of exciting tension building pieces, it's relatively the same throughout. It's quite mellow and as I've said, it's mostly the same throughout. It does enhance the scenes but not for the typical reasons, to build excitement, tension, fear, etc, but mainly just to help mold the general feel of the film and help you get the general gist of the films approach, it really fits in perfectly.

The scenery and cinematography is outstanding. There is quite a few long shots used with the emptiness of the desert and the rising sun (or sundown). These sort of shots are done quite often in numerous films, they fit in quite well with this film, and usually helps you know that the characters are deep thinking. The use of medium close up shots are also used quite well and create more wonderful looking scenes.

Personally it felt to me like there wasn't all that much talking in this film, there is plenty of narration which is great, helps you along, jumps unnecessary scenes that probably wouldn't suit this film. This film I felt doesn't show you a lot, but shows you enough for you to just know everything. Don't get me wrong, it shows you the obviously important things, nothing is like implied or anything, just, it's like describing something quite simply enough for the listener to get the point (maybe like this?).

Anyway, it's a nice film to watch, a very good performance from Sheen, and just a generally interesting film, it's short, and simple. There is a lot of subtle symbolism with certain sound effect you probably won't notice, but little things you will pick up on other viewings (I've seen it once, but I just know this). If you were interested in what I've said, you will enjoy this film, I'm sure.

Click me to view the trailer!