Clearcut

Arthur is the spirit-guide Peter McGuire finds during his sweat-lodge vision; a water-spirit who becomes the personification of McGuire's own anger. If you don't believe me on this, pay attention to the water shots (starting with the opening shot of the movie), the sweat-lodge sequence, and listen carefully to almost everything Wilf says. Once you understand what Arthur is, you can see that the primary themes explored are (1) talk vs. action, and (2) if you cannot control your anger, your anger will control you. I found Ron Lea a bit too wimpy to carry off the final scene, but overall, this is a very thought-provoking movie, which I recommend to anyone who likes to think.

Without a doubt, one of the more realistically shocking and provocative films I have ever seen. One of the most important "lost" independent films ever. Definitely ranks in the top 5 best Canadian films ever.

I don't want to describe it too much, because it is best viewed with virgin eyes - no expectations.

The short summary is that a logging company has gone too far with its clear-cutting of the great Canadian woods, now subject to native Indian terror attacks against the loggers. A nebbish Toronto lawyer gets involved in the case, and meets a mysterious Indian (the always wonderful and most talented Graham Greene). What follows is a harrowing and devastating journey not only into the ancient woods of Canada, but into the darkest recesses of the human soul. Anger, rage, revenge, violence, redemption, tolerance, and ECOLOGY - all words to describe the feelings and attitudes of this shocking film. A definite MUST SEE! - unfortunately though, this is one of the rarest films made in the last 20 years. Never shown on TV, and pretty much unavailable on VHS (forget DVD, at least as far as I know it was never released on disc). Best chance is to pick it up in Canada at an art-house vid store. If you do ever see the box, don't miss the chance, rent it! Clearcut is proof that cinema is and always should be, the leading art form of our society. Films like this challenge, provoke, and serve as catharses. They have a purpose, and it is more than just to entertain. I was 16 when I saw it, and it changed my view of the world, in a positive way. It made me aware of issues while helping me explore the human psyche. Probably one of the few R rated films I would recommend that young people view (supervised of course) - it might actually enlighten them on issues of violence and rage in society.

WATCH CLEARCUT BY ALL MEANS!

SUPPORT Canadian CINEMA!! It should be so much better and richer than what it is - what is wrong with Canucks? Egoyan, Arcand, Jewison and Cronenberg cannot be the only popular cinema talents in one of the greatest countries on earth?!

Like most Canadians, I tend to shy away from viewing Canadian-made movies, especially if they deal with First People's issues. ("Oh no! Not another one of those".) But CLEARCUT came highly recommended by a friend who is really into intensely horrific stories.

It starts off looking like something we've all seen before with a band of Native North Americans squaring off against the "cruel white logging company". It then takes a neat turn about twenty minutes in when our main protagonist sits in on a sauna session-ritual with some Native elders in a teepee. It is his bloody fever dream within the dark steamy enclosure that begins to set the tone for the rest of the film. And what a film! Righteous "psycho" Native, Arthur (effectively played by Graham Greene) kidnaps our main hero who is a lawyer representing the protesters along with the nasty head of the logging company. Arthur then forces the two on a grueling journey through the forests with the sole aim of vengefully torturing them into seeing things from the native perspective. Relentlessly paced, full of twists and turns and its share of bloody gore, the film pulls no punches.

It is smartly adapted by screenwriter Rob Forsyth, nicely shot by Francois Protat and well acted by Ron Lea with moody music by Shane Harvey. Although purely a dramatic work, it plays out like an old Indian legend and a sick stalker flick. Let me finally state that you don't have to be into Native issues to like this film. It works on many levels and is simply a really excellent entertaining movie!

There are a lot of themes at play in this movie, many of which are still as relevant as ever, as I *think* it's primarily examining the different aspects of being an "ally" and the implications of how an ally can inherently always choose to side with the oppressor and retreat into their own privilege.

That being said, I'm not entirely sure that I'm right about that - I imagine a lot of the meaning here's in the eye of the beholder, which characters they find themselves identifying and/or sympathizing with, etc.

Point being that the strongest thing about this film is it tells a super engaging story that deals with really complex, important issues (capitalism, racism, imperialism, alienation, allyship, what retribution might really look like, etc.) without dumbing it down to the point that it's spoon-feeding you things like "who is the good guy?" or "what should I take away from this?" or "how should I feel about anything that happens to any of these characters?" And I mean that in a good way - I'm not confused because of indifference, but because there are challenging things about every character and nearly every choice each character makes.

I don't know if I'd even consider it a horror movie. I mean, I don't know what else I'd call it, but - and I'm saying this as a major lover of horror and a deep believer in all of the different ways it can be used - I feel like it's a bit reductionist to label it as horror. I was never scared, any violence and gore is visually underplayed (deliberately). I guess I'd consider it folk horror, but in the same way I'd say the original Wicker Man and Deliverance are folk horror - like Wicker Man is also a musical comedy, Deliverance is also a survival thriller, and for whatever reason those are the two movies of which I was most reminded by this. For context, the original Wicker Man is my favorite movie, so I don't use the comparison lightly.

But yeah, suffice it to say - great movie that you should definitely watch.

At the start of this film, it seems to be expressing anger about encroaching on native lands and environmental destruction. Soon it is evident it is about the outrage itself - and at what stave that it becomes unacceptable as it ventures into violence. This film is even more relevant now than when it was released, given the violence in the WTO protests.

You are never sure if Arthur is human, a god, or some vengeful spirit. The way he enters and exits the film keeps this a mystery.

Although it has its faults, a very provocative film.