not for kids
Arty apocalypse is as rewarding as it is rough.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this bleak drama -- which depicts the total breakdown of society (including filth, squalor, graphic brutality, and sexual coercion) in the wake of a plague that leaves its victims blind -- isn't for kids. Several scenes depict the aftermath of the social collapse, including the absence of law and order, medical treatment, food and shelter, and more. There are also several sex scenes -- some of which are consensual, and some of which aren't -- and a good deal of strong language. Violence includes beatings, shootings, and much more.
- Families can talk about the questions the film raises: What would happen if some catastrophic event shattered civilization? Would people come together in a time of crisis or fall apart? Families can also talk about Julianne Moore's character, who becomes a fierce protector to a small group of survivors -- and also grows as a person in her new role. Does crisis bring out the best in some people?
The good stuff
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Messages: Extensive depiction of social breakdown in the wake of a disease that strikes its victims blind -- including riots, quarantine, and armed suppression of blind civilians. As the plague effects the entire populace, civilization descends into chaos, squalor, and filth. A group of quarantined victims set up a tyranny under rule of force, telling other inmates that they'll only receive food in exchange for their remaining valuables, and, later, sex. A man who was blind before the sickness assists this tyranny.
What to watch for
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Violence: Beatings, shootings, stabbings, scuffling, fistfights, panicked pushing and shoving; nonconsensual sex with a high level of roughness. Several characters are shot on screen; a character commits suicide. Several characters die, trapped in a burning building that's been deliberately set on fire. Plane and car crashes shown in news footage. Government troops fire on unarmed, blind civilians.
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Sex: Extensive sexual and nonsexual nudity (including both male and female full frontal, from a distance); a prostitute visits a client in a hotel room; consensual sexual activity on screen; sex is bartered for food in the aftermath of a devastating plague.
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Language: Frequent strong language, including "damn," "hell," "f--k," "s--t," "bitch," "bulls--t," "whore," "motherf---er," and the "N" word.
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Consumerism: Not an issue
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Drinking, drugs and smoking: Characters drink wine and hard liquor.
Fan Reviews provided by
4
BLINDNESS IS AN EYE-OPENER. GRADE: B-PLUS by MOVIES REVIEWER
I just attended the advance press screening of TALENTED director Fernando Meirelles' (The Constant Gardener) VISCERAL brutally-stark movie-adaptation of the novel, BLINDNESS, by Nobel Prize winner Jose Saramago.
BLINDNESS evoked empathy - raised philosophical awareness of our human nature and conditions - should appeal to a sophisticated audience, intellectuals and those with contemplative natures due to the story's HEAVY MATURE themes - ambition/responsibility/pragmatism, compassion/kindness, aggression/terror, revenge, leadership, conflict, self-preservation/survival.
SUPERB cast.
Verdict:
Skip this movie if you are troubled by overt displays/depictions of savage human brutality/desperation/depravity in the face of a horrifying event - like an adult version of The Lord of The Flies.
The graphic sexual assault scenes blatant nudity/sexuality could be troubling and traumatic to some people with weak dispositions.
Otherwise, steel your resolve - go SEE it.
5
Read the book. Then watch the movie. by jln04a
1) The trailer is misleading...it's not sci-fi and it's not about the end of the world.
2) It's based on a noble prize winning novel, and oftentimes the book is better than the film. This is true here, too, but the film is an accurate adaptation of the novel--a feat for the director and screen writers.
3) It is not easy to watch; it is not intended to be easy to watch. It is about humanity, the baser qualities within us all. There is redemption in the end; don't give up on the movie so quickly.
4) It would be unfair to the novel to eliminate the sex scenes, as they are so important. Read the book--you'll understand. (And it's much more graphic there.)
5) If you have read the book, you'll understand the movie. If you haven't read the book and you've only seen the trailer, you'll probably be disappointed. So take some time and learn about the novel: the themes, goals, and symbols. It is not some disease by the government, blindness is a social disease within us all.
1
Horrible movie!!!! Had to walk out!!! by whatever77
This was THE WORST movie I have ever wasted my money on!! I walked out when the raping scenes became so bad, I became sick to my stomach & wanted to vomit... Seriously, what sick f*** thought this crap up?!?!?!
5
One of more creppy experience in a theater by cachorro25
I can't understan why people gave bad reviews to this movie. This is a masterfully directed movie with good actors and VERY mature themes. It shows how violent, nasty, depraved humans really are when given a chance. people who felt offended or were asking for answers didn't get point of the movie, the blind disease is only a plot device to show what are we really are as human beings. Go and see for yourself if you dare. And if you still want to know why the main charatcer didn't catch the disease then go see some Disney, maybe you will able to follow that one.
5
Fantastic Movie! by fernard35
I am the first to admit that this movie is brutal at times. However, the compassion that Moore's character shows should be a lesson to us all. The trailer is misleading - this is NOT a movie that belongs in the same category as "28 Days" or other end-of-the-world movies.
As a woman, the rape scenes were very difficult but the strength of the main character outweighs any negatives. Everything in the movie is there for a purpose. Through the harshness, we are able to find out what true compassion means. The viewer has to be aware of the underlying emotions and conflicts. The book is outstanding and it shows what a messed up world we really live in.
For those reviewers who thought it was a waste of time, they simply need to experience better films and expand their world. This is a powerful movie. Unfortunately, people don't want to think and this film makes you think about your world and your position in society. I implore everyone to step outside the norm and watch this!
3
Good but Not Great by Mr_movie_buff
I noticed that many people reviewed this movie, giving it a poor rating, which is understandable. I haven't read the book, so I cannot compare it, although I've seen many great books turned into horrible, underachieved movies that were surely disappointing to fans so I understand the book readers who saw the movie and were very disappointed. From a non reader, I can say that the movie was good, although it could have been better. If you are expecting an 'end of the world' disaster flick with special effects and frightening scenes, then stay away from this movie. The idea of an entire society becoming mysteriously blind is a great idea and it could have been translated on film much better. The movie tries to portray the horrible side of humanity and how we take things for granted, but it fails to capture any emotionality whatsoever. You get the point, but some scenes are too long or pointless and a 2 1/2 hour movie could have easily become 1 1/2 hours. Watch it, but on DVD.
3
Not for everyone... by Jksz
Blindness is definitely not a movie most people will wan't to go see. It's raw grittyness will make many people uncomfortable especially women. But if you watch this movie with an open mind, you will understand that terrible things like this happen all the time in 3rd world countries(except blindness). It also shows how people like us "can"act if gripped with fear and desperation and how human beings are capable of comitting terrible acts.
I was some what disappointed with the amount on detail this movie went into on explaining why people were actually becoming blind and how it affected people globally. In fact the ending sort of reminded me of I Am Legend, in the sense that in had many unanswered questions.
1
After seeing this movie...you wish you were blind and deaf by werewolf1967
One of the worst films I've ever seen. I felt that not only was my intelligence insulted, it was assaulted. If this is the view that the writer and director has of the world then I hope he/she is on some serious anti-depressants.
5
What a bunch of illiterates! by badamsth
This movie is based on the novel by José Saramago. They did a very good job translating the novel to celluloid! I think the fact that the majority of you went into the theatre thinking the film was a sci-fi thriller tells us more about your particular limited knowledge of literature and art than any happening or opinion on the movie. The film and novel are a commentary on the human nature. They both posit a less than flattering notion of the human condition. However, the reviewers for this particular film only buttress the notion that humans, in general, are a bunch of uneducated; find the easy way out; and not interested in being challenged ...beings. This movie is not for the moviegoer who would like to go sit in a dark movie theatre and turn off their brains! Go see this movie if you want to think.....if you want to understand the intricacies of the capacity of humans to both love and hate.....this was a great movie!!
1
A complete waste of time by ShadowHawk
I thought that this would be another thriller along the lines of 28 Days Later or any other score of virus-taking-over-the-world movies. I could not be any farther from the truth. The fact that this movie was miles away from anything I wanted to see tonight hit home about 45 minutes into the film. I can't believe I sat through five minutes of nine women getting gang raped by a group of power hungry men, all for the cause of bringing food home. It was too much for me to handle at that moment.
I understand that some believe that you must "keep an open mind" in order to see this movie. I'm a little confused on how sitting through scenes of forcible rape for the sake of entertainment is equivalent to keeping an open mind. Sure, it happens in real life. That doesn't mean it's entertaining or something that I would like to experience at such a detailed level. Unless you get your kicks from delving intimately into the depths victimization, don't go to this movie.