Elephant

I’ve been called a cynic, insensitive, and on occasion, uncaring. I’ll admit to all of these claims, but there are still things I find disturbing. In terms of films, there aren’t many that have unnerved me in my life. Off the top of my head, Gasper Noe’s brutal Irreversible and Alain Resnais’ stirring documentary Night and Fog are a couple that have stuck with me. I don’t hide from the cruelties perpetrated in the world, so there isn’t much I find shocking or perverse. I just finished covering horror movies for October. Although it isn’t classified under horror, Gus Van Sant’s Elephant is one of the most frightening movies I’ve seen in recent memory.

It’s a gray autumn day at an ordinary bucolic high school. Students meander hallways, mingle with friends, and make plans for the future. The typical clicks are introduced: jocks, nerds, geeks and loners all go about their daily routines. Everything appears normal but an ominous aura hangs over the school. No amount of gossip or giggling can crack the eerie quiet that grips the halls. Through a series of flashbacks we meet Alex, a shy outcast who has become a target for spitball hurling bullies. Alex and best bud Eric hang together in a basement, play video games and wait for a deadly package to arrive in the mail.

Back to the seemingly normal fall day. Alex and Eric converge on the school, dressed in fatigues, armed with machine guns and bombs. Frustrated by alienation, the two teens unleash a plot to attack the school and murder as many students as possible. They maneuver through the building with extreme prejudice, shooting anyone who comes into their sights. Panicked students attempt to hide as the harsh sound of gunfire echoes in the distance. The motivation for Alex and Eric’s actions is unclear, but the barbarism they inflict is cold and calculated. The matter-of-fact manner in which they unfold their vengeful plan is as upsetting as the images of bullet-riddled bodies left to die.

Several social issues are contrasted in Elephant. Gun control is clearly at the center. The ease at which Alex and Eric are able to secure weapons, via the internet, brings into question the validity of our checks and balances when it comes to acquiring guns. Also at play is the absent or neglectful parental figure. The only adult, besides teachers, we see is a character’s drunken father who is so inebriated he’s unable to drive his son to school. Bad parents aren’t solely to blame for teens embarking on a rampage, however a lack of guidance and discipline is certainly a contributing factor. Finally, there is the stunted growth and social ineptitude of both Alex and Eric. Everyone gets ridiculed in high school. It’s a minority that resorts to violence as a method of retribution. Not all outcasts dwell in a cloud of perpetual darkness. What transformed Alex and Eric into ruthless killing machines? Violent video games or repeated harassment are not adequate explanations. Van Sant doesn’t pretend to have the answers. He seems as perplexed as society.

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Van Sant creates a surreal nightmare that purposely mirrors the inhuman Columbine massacre of 1999. He rejects artifice in favor of a more naturalistic style, concentrating on long takes and simple transitions. No flashy effects or quick-cutting to romanticize the action. He utilizes sound to perfection. The chilling dullness of a shotgun blast. A shrill scream from a weeping girl. These audible assaults define terror on a whole new level. Van Sant employs a cast of non-actors to portray the student body. The raw realism of the victims and the stunning apathy displayed by Alex and Eric are proof that acting classes are a waste of time. Elephant is 80 minutes of unforgettable horror. It’s difficult to watch but if you appreciate honest cinema do yourself a favor and see this excellent film.

The trailer for Elephant:

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