Fanático

You could respect this movie on John Travolta's performance, which is pretty good. He plays the role somewhat believably, and isn't necessarily over-acting or anything like that. Co-stars like Devon Sawa also turn in some good performances as well. Everyone is reasonably believable.

The cinematography is also pretty okay. Scenes are well staged, well lit, and generally the movie looks good, I suppose. On a production level, everything works!

But it's still a very difficult movie to watch. Travolta plays a very innocent character named Moose, who is on the autistic spectrum, and the whole movie is essentially about beating up on him. When it's not beating up on Moose, it's asking you to feel sorry for him. I can't remember a single moment where the movie portrays this guy as a human being. Every single scene is an uncomfortable test of your empathy as everything that can go wrong, does, to the point where it becomes an unrealistic spiral.

As far as concepts for a movie go, that could work, but The Fanatic does not have the subtle touch required to broach the subjects it attempts to tackle. It tries to avoid making Moose look like a monster, but it's still mean spirited and dehumanizing. It's like 88 minutes of watching bullies pick on a nerd, both directly and indirectly, and I found that hard to sit through. Moose is presented almost as a circus side show act, where you're meant to gawk and point and feel pity. This is a movie that revels in second-hand embarrassment.

I could not shake the sense that former musician and Director Fred Durst was working through some issues, and he's admitted the movie is based on personal experiences. I'm sure he's dealt with some pushy fans in his life, and that sucks for him, but this seems like a poor way to express that.

And things don't get any better. Moose continues his downward spiral, constantly making the worst possible decisions, to the point where it almost becomes a cartoonish self-parody. Moose's autism is used as an excuse to wave away even the most absurd plot twists, and it all comes to a peak in a climax I would describe as "frustratingly convenient." I don't know what this movie was trying to say.

The more I thought about it, the angrier I got, as the credits rolled. This is a cynical movie at best. It offers no justification for why it exists. It says nothing. It's an excuse to make you cringe for an hour and a half. Maybe you like that, but it's not really my style. Though the rest of the film may be competent, as a story, it just sucks.

Avoid The Fanatic.

This has to be one of the greatest pieces of "so bad it's good" cinema in a while. If you're fans of "The room" , "Birdemic", "showgirls" and Neil Breen, you will surley enjoy this piece of confusing "mishmash" of a movie, with undeveloped bunch of pointless charecters, with unclear motives and charecteristics, strange editing, very aqward dialogues and the hair. Most of all I just don't get the hair. Just becaouse someone is Autistic or suffers from a developmental disability, doesn't mean he cuts his hair with a lawn mower. Who cares, the whole things is just super funny. Also funny: all the positive reviews here posted by sientologists.

Make sure you watch it with good friends and plenty od sarcasm.

This movie may well outshine The Room in years to come. Amazing, in the worst kind of way.

Lots of higher scoring horror/thriller type movies released lately and they're all trash. This low scorer roped me in because of Fred Durst and John Travolta, a little slow to start but Travolta pulls off an almighty all out out crazy that's worth waiting for. Theres few hidden eggs and the line "she is not a good nurse" really tickled me. Give it a go it's actually alright. Better than a 4 - I'd of thought it to be a 5.5

I know this will be ignored. But I hope it doesn't.

Imagine this: John Travolta still as Moose.

Fred Durst as the paparazzi girl.

Nicolas Cage as the Final Destination actor.

Please.

I BEG you to think about it.

Some movies really need the strangeness of The Nic. And, well... if some people don't agree with this statement, this disaster is here to prove them wrong.

Even the thought of this possibility makes me rase my rating from a 2 to a 3.