Dead Man Walking (1 Viewer)

[Mark Larson]

I haven't seen an official thread for this, and i just saw it again... What do you think about this movie?

It sure had my eyes wet a few times, and overall i think it was an excellent movie.

Do you think there was some relation with Christ in the last scenes when he is strapped to the table and put vertically and speaks to the two families? I thought there was.

 

[JonZ]

I think this is EASILY one of the 10 best movies of the 90s.

A really great underrated film no one ever talks about.

 

[ChrisMatson]

This is a great movie. Let's be careful with discussions of a religious nature, but as it pertains to the film, clearly the story arc is a classic tale of personal struggle, coming to a crossroads, seeking redemption, and then finding forgiveness and salvation.

 

[Craig S]

It is a great movie, and it's a crime Sean Penn did not win the Oscar for his performance. Susan Sarandon is superb (as usual) and greatly deserved her Oscar.
What makes this film work is that director Tim Robbins for the most part gives a very balanced view of both sides of the death penalty issue. In lesser hands, this could have turned into a typical heavy-handed Hollywood message movie (see The Contender, John Q, etc.). Instead, as well as showing the horror of the execution process, Robbins lets us see the brutal nature of the crimes, and lets us feel the pain of the victims' family. We understood them & sympathize with them. He & Penn also refuse to soften the character of Poncelet (the condemned murderer) - they eschew the "innocent/misunderstood man wrongly convicted" cliche and have the courage to show him as the terrible person he for the most part was. This fairness makes the message of the film (and the glimpses of humanity we see in Poncelet) much more powerful.
The only problem I had with the film was the symbolism Mark talks about - I thought that went a little over the top. Despite that minor criticism, I agree with Jon - Dead Man Walking is easily one of the best films of the last decade.

 

[Chauncey_G]

Just a plug - I bought the "score" album for this movie (there's also a "soundtrack"), and it is easily one of the best CD's that I have ever purchased. I recommend it highly, especially if you enjoy the film.

 

[DaveF]

I love this movie, and think it is one of the best movies to date. According to the commentary (by Tim Robbins), the final scene is Christ-imagery. The table is based on actual tables used in prisons for lethal injection. As he put it, if you think there is religious imagery there, blame it on the State.

 

[Scott Leopold]

This movie had my wife and I weeping up until the last part of the final scene. I thought the whole thing was beautifully done, and it was clear throughout that it was making an anti-death penalty statement. However, and forgive me because my memories a bit fuzzy on it, the very end felt like Tim Robbins was standing behind me, bashing me in the head with a baseball bat in an effort to really drive his point home. If I recall, it was a final soliloquy (sp?) by Susan Sarandon that made me feel as though he considered the entire viewing audience to be only slightly above mentally challenged apes on the evolutionary ladder, and had to let them know several times in about 30 seconds what his point really was. Maybe I'm the only one who saw it this way, but the last 30 seconds or so of the movie really ruined it for me. I prefer directors who are able to give their audience the benefit of the doubt, especially when the point was so clear throughout the entire movie.

 

[Dan Brecher]

Very good film, I too am really rather fond of it. Just solid performances all the way through, a finely crafted film to be sure. I wish we had a better DVD of it.

Dan

 

[Dave Miller]

What makes this film work is that director Tim Robbins for the most part gives a very balanced view of both sides of the death penalty issue. In lesser hands, this could have turned into a typical heavy-handed Hollywood message movie

I couldn't agree more. I've seen it once (don't think I could watch it again) but I was blown away by how powerful and well crafted this movie this movie is. Performances are great and the directing is excellent.

Peace,

DM

 

[Carlo_M]

This is the film that had me pulling for Sean Penn for Best Actor. Of course we knew that the Academy wouldn't reward him for his character which was about as Un-PC as it gets.

 

[Michael Reuben]

Of course we knew that the Academy wouldn't reward him for his character which was about as Un-PC as it gets.

Even more than Det. Alonzo Harris?
M.