MovieChat Forums > Felon (2008) Discussion > would you have done what John Smith had ...

would you have done what John Smith had done?


After watching this film, i wondered about the scene where John (Val Kilmer) talks about the reason he's in prison - wife/daughter raped and murdered, killing the families of the ones who did it. Would you have done the same?

Most people would of course quickly say no; but for me, i'd have to really wonder about it.
If two people really did that to your loved ones, i would definitely want some sort of revenge, make them suffer. Add to that, when it does happen, you would be in a totally different state of mind, not caring about any damn thing in the world and just wanting to do the same to the killers.
I wouldn't go as far as killing the family (certainly think about it), but who knows how crazy and delusional you could get when you reach that level of anger.

reply

If I went through what he went through I might do the same thing. I am scared of what I'm capable with if I was ever pushed that far.

The name is Stephen and I'm male.
Fear me, Love me, do as I say, and I'll be your slave.

reply

Just considering the murderers got family/friends would make me reluctant to kill even the murderers themselves. I make it a point to, whenever some person who I have no relationship with whatsoever causes me pain, to take it out on them and not any innocent people who had nothing to do with it, that would be bullying/sociopathy...whenever I get violent on someone I only want it to be for revenge/retribution. And when it comes to killing, I'd hate to deprive the innocent family/friends of the people I hate of someone they care about, so I wouldn't kill them, but I might go so far as put them in a coma, delimb, or incapacitate them in some other way so they could never attack me or anyone else ever again, but their family/friends could still have them.

reply

men that rape a wife and a 7 yrs old girl wouldn't care about their families

so i would go with torturing and killing them slowly, why punish other ppl for a crime they didn't commit


i wouldn't touch their family and i will probably give money to help them financially

cuz i won't need any money where i am heading

reply

[deleted]

No, I can't force myself to kill. I'm also way too analytical in my mindset, I'd just rationalize-attribute the killers mindset to that of mental illness or something that would make sense regarding the human condition. I've felt society's pressure on multiple occasions, some of the weaker minds/less fortunate can not deal with or accept it. If I were to kill their families, would that make me any better than them? Honestly, it would not. What would you solve, the savagery that horrified you must be reciprocated on unsuspecting wives/kids who are, well, none the wiser to their "man's" unlawful nature? That was the very thing that in the first place inspired me to take "revenge" or whatever lame concept you'd liken it to.

I remember when my next-door neighbor poisoned my cat, who would go sit under their porch. I was obviously devastated when I found this out, and did the right thing by notifying the authorities so they could be properly dealt with (because they were in the mindset to harm a defenseless creature), but would I personally want to kill/maim their dog? No, as much as the thing would get on my nerves, taking it out on the dog as opposed to the perpetrators would be infeasible. Not saying I would actually take it out on them personally, but why go for someone or something that had absolutely no say in the matter at all? Eye for an eye, pet for a pet... I mean, that just doesn't even seem logical.

I'd have liked to have thought we'd gotten past this notion of revenge, or brutish behavior that we know we can quell easily. It just does not need to happen. A cohesive society does not need that. After viewing this film it was apparent to me that, although I somewhat knew, barbaric behavior is still sanctioned and condoned for "rep" or "territory" or "tradition." It's wholeheartedly disappointing...

Its a jungle out there.

reply

Of course, Muh *beep* stole my wallet.

reply


I would recommend watching a movie called 7 Days. It is a French Movie with subtitles but its about this very subject. A doctors young daughter is raped and killed by a man. He finds the man and over the course of 7 days tortures him in unspeakable ways. At first I watched it and thought yes, hurt that guy but by the 4th or 5th day it gets to be a bit too much and even the doctor is starting to go crazy from all of it.

Check it out if you can.. Its a dark movie considering the subject matter but good.

"I like simple pleasures like butter in my ass and lollipops in my mouth."

reply

Yes,I am afraid so.....because something almost as horrid happened to me and I was "psychologically" built the same way.
My 3 year old son.That is all I will print.
Exceptional film.

reply