As promised by the theatrical trailer, A Clockwork Orange offers a little bit of everything: music, humor, philosophical considerations, art, sociological analysis, sex, action, drama... Based on a book of the same title written by Anthony Burgess back in 1962, the movie takes us to a world that most likely exists in the future (although we are never told) where nihilism prevails, ultraviolence is the latest fad among an extremely bored youth and there is little in the form of law and order to stop any sort of abuses against innocent victims. Actually, there is some order enforced by a police that appears to be quite repressive and utterly indifferent to the respect for the citizen's rights, but in spite of it all we are still left with the impression that they are not in control. This is a world with no values, no future, no rules, a world where parents do not seem to have any control over their kids, the young boys and girls only care about their own instant gratification in the form of sex, consumption or aimless violence, and the authorities are unable to take control. In summary, A Clockwork Orange is a work in the tradition of the negative utopia or dystopia that includes other masterpieces such as Brave New World, 1984 or Farenheit 451. Just like those books, A Clockwork Orange is also a classic.

The movie tells us the story of Alex, a British young fellow who takes us on the ride of his life. The opening shots already clue us into the artistic intentions of the director, with its changing color from bright orange to bright pink immediately before showing us a close shot of Alex among his droogs or friends in a neon-lighted and erotically decorated night club called the Korova Milk Bar. The daring look in Alex's face is nothing but a suggestion of his ruthlessness and most absolute lack of moral values. He and his buddies are portrayed, in what could amount to a worrisome prediction of contemporary life in many urban centers, as a nihilistic gang of teenagers who do not stop at anything to get an adrenaline shot. Surrounded by alcohol, drugs, boredom, aimlessness, and a deep sense that there is no future, they "entertain" themselves by raping, stealing and getting into fights. Their ruthless attack against an old homeless under a bridge reminds us too much of similar attacks carried out by neo-Nazis in our days. To them, on the other hand, it is nothing but just one more form of entertainment, hence their mocking the victim immediately before unleashing their fury against him.

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Entertaiment factor:7/10
Artistic factor:8/10

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