Chopper, the debut feature from New Zealand born director Andrew
Dominik (Jesse James, Killing them Softly) is a semi
biographical tale of notorious Australian criminal Mark ‘Chopper’ Read. The
story is based on the autobiographic works of Read which when published became
best sellers in the author’s home country. A pre title disclaimer makes it
clear though that the film is not a biography of the man and that some scenes
are invented. Chopper (Eric Bana) made a name for himself as a tough guy-extortionist
and boasted to having committed several murders but was never convicted of any.
Inside prison he was a vicious inmate, responsible for several brutal assaults,
some of which are played out on screen. When out of prison, Chopper has to keep
his wits about him and with several contracts out on his life, he becomes ever
more paranoid and sadistically violent.
Chopper was the sort of cult film which a lot of people would talk
about at school. “Ah, mate. You seen that Chopper?
It’s wicked” Because the film was liked by the same sort of people who enjoyed
Guy Ritchie and other films I had no interest in, I took their enthusiasm with
a pinch of salt. Over a decade later though, I thought I’d give the film ago
and when I saw it was on TV one night, I decided to record it. I hadn’t
realised how long ago that night was though until I noticed that the ad breaks
I was fast-forwarding through were Christmas themed. Today is May the 27th.
Within the first five minutes of Chopper I was struck by two things.
Firstly I was in awe of Eric Bana’s performance. He is sublime in the lead role
and has, in my opinion, never been better. The second thing that caught my eye
was the oppressive lighting. This gave the prison scenes a washed out and
uncomfortable look which reminded me of Nicholas Winding Refn’s Bronson, a film which shares many themes
and was surely influenced by this movie. The stark but brightly lit prison
scenes have an almost otherworldly look to them and the prisoners seem to be
locked in together, in large open spaces with nowhere to hide from each other’s
violent anger. The lighting seems as though it could be a catalyst for the
violence, such is the domineering effect it has on the room. Scenes outside the
jail play off the monotone prison settings and are awash with colour. The muggy
interiors have a similar overpowering and repressive look to the jail though.
I wasn’t particularly interested
in the plot of Chopper and to be
perfectly honest it doesn’t really have one. The film is more of a character study
but what a character. Again reminiscent of Charlie Bronson, Chopper is a man
who can turn in an instant and you never know when he is going to flip out and
cause someone a great deal of pain. He has the same charming socio-pathic edge
to him as Joe Pesci’s Tommy from Goodfellas,
a man who you’d be terrified to say anything to, less it be taken the wrong
way. These are terrifying characters that fortunately I can gorp at through my
television without ever having to come into contact with. (Chopper, if you ever
read this, I mean no offense. Seriously. Sorry, yeah?) I think I’m safe.
There’s no way they’d give him a passport.
Eric Bana makes the film with his
terrific central performance. A quick glance at his filmography tells me I’ve
seen him in eight films before today but he’s the sort of actor who I’ve never
really thought much about. To me he’s always just been ‘that guy, from that
film. No, the other one’. Here though he is spectacular and it makes me wonder
why we haven’t seen anything as good subsequently. There are other actors in
the film and the supporting cast are generally fine but at times you forget
that other actors are even on the screen when Bana is in full flow. He creates
the sort of menace filled character which gives you shivers yet whom you can’t
turn away from. It’s an almost hypnotic performance. Andrew Dominik has a
visual flair which continued to grow in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford but the
cinematography and look of Killing them Softly is much closer to this film. Both share the look of a dangerous,
down and out, forgotten metropolis, devoid of hope. Overall I thought that Chopper worked brilliantly as a
character study and Bana is incredible but the story didn’t engage me and I
found the post prison scenes a little dull and repetitive at times. I can see
its cult appeal and it’s a film I’m happy to have watched but it’s not the sort
of film I’d return to in a hurry.
7/10
GFR 7/10
Titbits
- Eric Bana spent two days living with Mark Read in preparation for the role. Bana was suggest by Read himself.
- Bana ate junk food for a month to put on enough weight for the role.
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