Doom Generation

This was one of the strangest movie I've ever seen, but at the same time, one of the most meaningful. This was a good movie. There was a sadistic violence, a bunch of sex scenes, vulgarity, more graphic violence, more sex, a three way, and an incredibly sad, tragic ending.

If you are able to look past all this (many people cannot, mind you), than you will see a good movie about three teenage tortured souls cruising along the urban pits of Los Angeles, who run into a crazy clerk with a shotgun, a crazy drive thru attendant with a shotgun, a nasty blonde with a sword, and some really scary Neo Nazis, who all think Amy Blue is someone else.

Rose McGowen is Amy Blue, the sexy, angry, speed taking, tough as nails lead character, James Duval is Amy's naive, stoner boyfriend Jordan White, and Johnathon Schaech was Xavier Red, the crazy, dangerous, kinky, and violent source of trouble. If you have a strong stomach, and don't mind harshly sad endings, check it out, but be aware, because you might get grossed out and leave (I almost did). 9/10

Gregg Araki's THE DOOM GENERATION is reminiscent of everything from MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO to THE RIVER'S EDGE to TRUE ROMANCE to the experimental films of Pasolini, of Warhol (Morrisey), as well as of Richard Kern. The film reveals its thematic message when the most innocent and selfless of its three main characters asks the other, more self-centered, two if they ever think about the meaning of existence. Dismissing the very question, they reveal to the questioner an answer of sorts, one which suggests that we each create a meaning for ourselves, and are all existentially alone as we do so.

While offering us a rather slight story of a pair of teen lovers on the road who encounter a slightly older bisexual who becomes their nemesis, companion, lover and protector, THE DOOM GENERATION offers a great deal of visual style and wit, and some genuine moments of suspense. In fact, the film's gory and discomforting climactic scene is perhaps the artistic highlight and suggests some real filmaking talent by writer/director Gregg Araki. This is probably not everyone's cup of tea, but is worth a look for those who like a film which challenges them to react to strong imagery and who don't mind transgressive depictions.

The Doom Generation is a stunning, gripping, gut-wrenching movie. It's easy to see why reactions are so strongly polarized, with almost everybody either loving it or hating it. It's scary to imagine what kind of mind would react with genuine indifference.

I admit I didn't read all the reviews already posted for it, but in the ones I did read I was surprised to find so few that mentioned how funny and how charming this movie is. Like it or not, it's primarily a romantic comedy, and if you miss that you've missed what holds it all together. It's extremely intelligent, very dark, very sweet, profoundly erotic, and shockingly bloody. But most of all it's very, very funny. If I'd missed the humor, I'd still like the freewheeling sexiness, but I'd be appalled by the violence. But I didn't miss the humor, so I loved it all.

Everything about it is brilliant: the writing, the direction, even the gory special effects, and every single member of the large cast is perfect, especially the three leads. For a "heterosexual" movie, as Araki labeled it (with some irony, I have to think), with plenty of sex between the girl and both guys, the most powerfully erotic scenes are between the two men alone. There's no sex acted out between them at all, not even a kiss, but the heat is intense and stunning, much more powerful than the explicit sex between either of them and the girl. It's the best proof I've ever seen that eroticism and sex are completely different, and in a movie eroticism is much more entertaining. The sex acts in this movie may be all hetero, but the real heat is as gay as it gets. That's quite a coup.

I for one am glad it's not in widescreen on the DVD. If a movie that's filmed widescreen is shown at 4:3, you do lose information. But a lot of independent movies from that period were filmed at 4:3, so that a "widescreen" version just crops off the top and bottom of the picture, and you actually get less information. (The widescreen version of Gus Van Sant's brilliant Elephant is like that, but fortunately that DVD includes both versions.)

I write this because I read a harsh critic from a fellow watcher here and I don't really understand his opinion.

this movie is highly surrealistic, and in its on way very truthful - regarding the fact that it shows the story through the eyes of these overcharacterized stereotypical teens. being an eastern European guy, I think I can say that this movie requires the watcher to step out of his usual westernized filters he's watching films through, and try to be as objective a listener as possible. I must disagree with the opinion that this movie has to be taken seriously - this is a weird kind of entertainment, weird in a positive way like those C-trash horrors that are so bad you start to collect them on your shelf. araki may not be the brightest star in independent film-making, but he's reasonably strong and original.

I recommend this to mature people who don't think that knowing high arts requires them to deny their childhood classics or spider-man. watch it with much self-irony and have a good time. :)

A quirky comedy (?) that takes a dark turn at the end. I can't quite tell if The Doom Generation is good or bad. Regardless, I quite enjoyed this wonky ride of a movie.

It contains very questionable acting and pacing but this movie is undoubtably entertaining and begging to be endlessly quoted. That dark ending really comes out of nowhere with very little build up. But it showcases that we live in a society, mannnn.

When all is said and done I can't quite say this is a masterpiece but I also can't say I didn't enjoy myself. A cult classic indeed, and one that kinda needs to be seen to be believed.