MovieChat Forums > Felon (2008) Discussion > A really controversial movie?

A really controversial movie?

posted 15 years ago by TheGallows
10 replies | jump to latest

This seemed to be one of the most controversial movies I've seen in a long time. Just the fact that the sadistic guards were mostly minorities, and the character Samson, an Aryan, is portrayed in a positive light. I'm really surprised that Spike Lee and other didn't protest this film, and try to get it banned. Maybe they just don't know about it yet. Or, I am not looking at this film in the right way. Any thoughts...

"The strong mind perceives it's own reality" The Batman, 'The Batman' Series

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] WarpedRecord 15 years ago

Controversial? Absolutely not, because hardly anyone seems to have heard of this film (unfortunately), and even fewer remember it.

Inflammatory? Absolutely! This is a hard-hitting, violent and mostly believable look at the criminal justice system. I completely respect and admire the filmmakers for taking such a blunt approach to the racial alliances in prisons.

[–] AnotherSchmoe 15 years ago

Meh, the good guard was a black guy too don't forget. I don't really see how the Aryans were portrayed in a positive light though, they were sick and brutal people. The only reason Wade identified with their group was because if he didn't they would have surely killed him. Real positive light there huh?

[–] TheGallows 15 years ago

I don't think so... From what I remember, the Aryan offered Wade protection for not informing on him about the hit on the bus. He also turned on Skin for the way he was treated Wade. He also stood with Wade against the guards. It's been a while since I've seen it, I don't remember exactly what happened, so I might be wrong.

"The strong mind perceives it's own reality" The Batman, 'The Batman' Series

[–] AnotherSchmoe 15 years ago

Yeah sure he protected Wade, but if Wade didn't bend over backwards for him (and continually extend his prison sentence in doing so) at the Aryan's every beck and call, then the Aryan would have killed him without so much as batting an eyelash.

http://www.youtube.com/anotherschmoe

[–] TheGallows 15 years ago

He offered protection to Wade for keeping his mouth shut about the killing on the bus. Wade wasn't threatened by the Aryan, the Aryan was just returning a favor.

"The strong mind perceives it's own reality" The Batman, 'The Batman' Series

[–] AnotherSchmoe 15 years ago

Yeah, protection like the mob offers protection, protection from himself. If he had refused to help him on the bus I have no doubts he would have met an untimely end at the hands of either Samson or one of his lackeys.

Anyways, it seems like you are just trying to sees them in a positive light, they are not sympathetic characters and if you choose to go out of your way to see them that way then so be it. All they were was a necessary evil for Wade to survive his prison sentence in a horrible hell-hole that should not be as it is (dominated by gangs etc.). This will be my last post in this thread, have a good one

http://www.youtube.com/anotherschmoe

[–] TheGallows 15 years ago

It appears, I remember this film a little better than you. Wade didn't help Samson on the bus. Skin passed Wade the weapon, and Wade just kept his mouth shut. Remember, that was before Wade new the way things were in prison. Why did Samson offer protection to John too? Why did he attack Skin? It was all a return of a favor for Wade keeping his mouth shut.

I never stated they were sympathetic characters, I just stated that it seems the movie presented them in that way. I glad this is your last post, because you seem to be comparing real prison life to a fictional movie.

"The strong mind perceives it's own reality" The Batman, 'The Batman' Series

[–] TheFatDruidofNacyl 15 years ago

I don't see it that way. All the criminals are bad, it was just the guards was not good either. The guards had their reason for being like they was, so did the gangs. The only two that was actually good was the main character, and the new guard. One black skinned and one White Skinned.

The name is Stephen and I'm male.
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[–] saybow69 14 years ago

Well this crap does go on! Its a fact, of stories like this. But i didnt see no race card in it? The one black guard was good a guy. And the 3 *beep* guards, were black,white and mexican! What more you want? All 3 dif races? Dont think they could have fit any more races in the tower? A Indian? Didnt see it like that at all?