Chopper

This movie was not intended to be solely funny, but with Eric Bana in the lead it was always going to make you laugh. His denial of pain and causing injury while at times hard to watch is also hilarious. Chopper's laugh often steals the show, coming at what appear to be inappropriate times.

It's a brilliant movie with great direction and performances. I'll go an 8 out of 10.

Chopper is a great film. Andrew Dominik, the director, did a splendid job. The film seems so realistic, the brutality, the dialogues, the places, the characters, it's all so well adapted to the kind of movie that Chopper is. The acting is really amazing, especially from Eric Bana, who plays Chopper. This man has the talent to make every single feeling of his character visible, and realistic. The violence, while being pretty graphic and brutal, isn't gratuitous or exaggerated (except for some scenes with too much blood letting). The violence "hits" the viewer, just like he was feeling the pain, it's very well reproduced. The character of Chopper is interesting, as a man who's trying to be a real tough criminal, but still has some feelings...it's Natural Born Killers with nuances...With funny moments, great acting, nicely-written scenario and one very interesting character, Chopper delivers that: Dark humor, attaching characters, great scenario, violence (for the people who like it), and it's a very nice movie. Eric Bana has a lot of future in acting...and Andrew Dominik is a great director that should definitely continue in this business. Chopper is very enjoyable. I give it 8/10.

I have to disagree with those that say this is for Aussie's only. Chopper is an amazing piece of filmmaking in nearly every regard and goes beyond the limitations of vernaculars. I had to laugh at the review that dismissed it as sophomoric tripe and attempts supporting his argument citing the film's lack of realism in violence. Although based on a real man this is storytelling cinema not documentary. There is an obvious element of gross exaggeration in most of the scenes of violence in Chopper, which serve a purpose (or, more specifically, several purposes). Chopper is obviously incapable of telling the truth – or even hearing the truth.

It is, at first, difficult to figure out why so many are drawn to Chopper (and not at all difficult to see why so many wish him dead). Within the first few moments Eric Bana establishes Chopper's character in a way that reveals the off kilter charisma that some simply cannot resist. Those Chopper seems to get along with best are those on the periphery, those who don't invest too much whom he seems intent on impressing. Those too involved with him are locked into his doom because simply no one is able to keep up with the mythological figure Chopper has created himself (or tries create himself) into.

Darkly humorous, brutal, yet not without pathos the film rightly focuses on its central character and lives up to the unlikely hero's motto: never let the truth get in the way of a good yarn. "Chopper" is a fascinating film filled several amazing performances even in smaller roles (e.g., Jimmy's chain smoking, junkie, white trash, pregnant "fiancée" stumbling to the floor to pick up a sawed off shot gun in the hallway).

Not for everyone, but those who get this sort of thing will be richly rewarded.

This film is very well done. I can see why a lot of people compare it to Refn's Bronson. Both revolve around psychopaths who spend the majority of the film inside of a cell block.

As expected with Andrew Dominik, the dialogue and cinematography are extremely well done. His transition shots are damn near flawless and the tongue and cheek dialogue is fun while keeping the audience interested. He also does some neat little things to allow the audience to see the film through Choppers perspective.

Eric Bana gives a stellar performance (better than Munich in my opinion). With all the weigh he put on, he seems larger than life on the screen (with credit also going to Dominik for the "Larger then life" personality of Chopper). Fair warning though, Their are some parts that are not for the light stomached, but definitely a movie I would suggest to watch.

CHOPPER (3+ outta 5 stars) Nifty little character study of a notorious Australian criminal... well, notorious in his own mind, at least. The jury is still out on how much of the autobiographical details of the life of "Chopper" read are real and how much is fake... but it does make a compelling story either way. Eric Bana gives a great performance in the lead... nothing else I've ever seen him in prepared me for how good he really is. The character he plays is nasty, repellent, scary, ill-tempered... and still full of charisma. After a violent stint in prison (his motto appears to be "do unto others before they do it unto you") Chopper is sent back out into society. With no other skills besides his knowledge of crime, Chopper offers himself to the local police as a special undercover agent. They, of course, want nothing to do with his boneheaded scheme but he pretends that they do anyway. Inflicting pain (on himself *and* others) seems to be what he is best at and he gets plenty of opportunities to show his stuff. Amusing though it may be at times, the movie is not a glorification of violence... the ferocity and suddenness of it keeps the audience constantly on edge.