BlindnessMovie Reviews

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• So-so Based on 1,948 reviews
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  Written October 3, 2008

  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.

  • 42 out of 56 found this review helpful.
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• Must Go!
  Written October 11, 2008

  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.

  • 32 out of 40 found this review helpful.
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• Oh No!
  Written October 5, 2008

  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?!?!?!

  • 15 out of 20 found this review helpful.
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• Must Go!
  Written October 8, 2008

  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.

  • 12 out of 16 found this review helpful.
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• Must Go!
  Written October 6, 2008

  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!

  • 20 out of 32 found this review helpful.
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• So-so
  Written October 10, 2008

  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.

  • 11 out of 15 found this review helpful.
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• So-so
  Written October 4, 2008

  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.
  

  • 9 out of 12 found this review helpful.
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• Oh No!
  Written October 11, 2008

  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.

  • 12 out of 18 found this review helpful.
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• Must Go!
  Written October 27, 2008

  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!!

  • 12 out of 19 found this review helpful.
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• Oh No!
  Written October 5, 2008

  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.

  • 11 out of 17 found this review helpful.
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• So-so
  Written October 15, 2008

  Blindness

  by pkmherbs

  Thought provoking, interesting. Wouldn't see it again. Wouldn't buy it. Shows too much about human nature. I like to go to the movies to escape this level of reality.

  • 9 out of 13 found this review helpful.
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• So-so
  Written October 7, 2008

  Blindness... Huh?

  by cantleyc

  This was the first movie in a long time I walked out of with a sense of total bewilderment. By the end of the movie, which is poorly paced, I felt filthy, disturbed, and thoroughly glad to still have my sight. And I had no idea what was going on by the anticlimactic end. It was, however, quite well shot and executed, and well performed by the cast, particularly Mark Ruffalo. Worth seeing, but not until it comes out on DVD or OnDemand.

  • 7 out of 9 found this review helpful.
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• Oh No!
  Written October 4, 2008

  De-Hunaminizing

  by sarahclef

  There were only six couples in this particulare theatre where we saw this movie. It was slow and boring during the first part of the movie, but things in this makeshift prison/hold place get worse in a hurry. It shows (according to the director) how fast humanity slips in its on fiflth.
  
  We had to leave when a group of blind men in one cell take over the food, ask women from the other cellsl to give them sex... I am married for 33 years and hava seen a lot, but this reminds of the Holocaust.
  
  I was so upset by the de-moralising of women, the weak men, and the dehumaniziation of blind people. We weren't the only ones to walk and get our money back.. I did see several young people in their early 20"s walk out to.. It was encouraging to see that people still have convictions.
  
  The can take this movie right back to Brazil.... America, you should be ashamed for misleading people that this was a good sci-fi movie. It was sickening and I wanted to go home and take a shower.

  • 10 out of 16 found this review helpful.
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  Written October 13, 2008

  Loved IT!

  by Melly1376

  Loved this film. It was a beautifully directed movie that blatantly portrays the depths of evil...or goodness that reside within human kind in a world gone mad. This movie is not for the those who are looking to just be entertained. This movie is for those who enjoy finding the deeper meaning rather than taking a film at face value. Meirelles continues to impress.

  • 12 out of 20 found this review helpful.
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  Written October 7, 2008

  A Bit of a Letdown, But Still Worth Seeing

  by glycerinefire

  I went into this film with really high expectations, and left just a bit unsatisfied. The first, and most important thing, though, is that Mereilles stuck to his really engaging form of visual directing, which is of course excellent. It's really exceptional how the camera angles, lighting, and the overall visual feel has you question at time what you're actually seeing. The problem was not the actors, they were all great particularly Gael Garcia Bernal. The big problem was the dialogue. It was completely inane. This movie should have had a sharp, dark edginess, but didn't.

  • 5 out of 6 found this review helpful.
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