smegger68

I thought hard about how I could write a review to do this film justice and in the end I admit I copped out and will merely direct you to what everyone else has said, because really I only wanted to add a couple of things.

This is probably the best film I have ever seen and may well be the best film ever made. Really, it is that good. You owe it to yourself to go see this, it just might change your life.

My only hope is that Hugo Weaving and Natalie Portman are properly recognised for their achievements here, along with the Wachowski brothers.

If Hollywood is capable of making movies of this quality, how come the rest of the time they produce so much rubbish? It infuriates me that we only see a film of this stature every 10 years or so when the talent is so obviously there to create them.

Maybe V should direct his attentions next to the Hollywood Studios? I'd pay money to see that sequel ;-)

I don't know where to begin with this movie, it was that bad. The story? Scientists looking for lost tribes in Florida(!) stumble across unscary big toothed monsters in the Everglades. Monsters munch scientists assistants. Bad guys get their come-uppance. Good guy scientists get away. ZZZzzz.

With a premise as poor as that it would take some great performances to lift the plot. Predictably enough, you don't get any. The leads were so wooden I had trouble telling them from the trees at times. The support cast fade into ambiguity almost immediatly.

The direction was stilted and amateurish. Gratuitous topless scenes were added for the Lord only knows what reason. The monsters simply ended up looking like guys in rubber suits with halloween masks on - you'd more likely laugh than run if you saw one for real.

Quite honestly, the scariest thing about this movie is that someone paid good money to have it made at all.

Avoid like the plague.

Excellent performances by all involved make The Human Stain one of the best films Hollywood has produced for a VERY long time. I'm almost surprised it got made at all - I mean, an all star cast appearing in a downbeat story about human pain that contains no CGI, no action and a decidedly not happy ending must have been a hard sell in Tinseltown. Thank God there are still some producers out there who want a quality product instead of a quick buck.

Hats off to all the cast, there was absolutely nothing to complain about in any of the performances. Likewise the Direction was low key and tasteful, allowing both the intensely emotional scenes and the few more lighthearted ones to flow naturally.

It seems that some reviewers have missed the point of what this film is about. They lament the lack of a big revelation or a shock secret. Well unfortunatley for them, this film simply tells a story. Sometimes that is all a film is required to do. Like the lives it portrays, this film leaves you with a sense of loss and sadness at what might have been if things had been different for our protaganists. That is what it was meant to do, and that it does stunningly well.

If you like realistic movies about the Human Condition and don't expect a Hollywood ending, this film should be on your must see list. If you prefer your movies to have a feel good message and a 'point', look elsewhere.

8/10.