Apt Pupil-Deadly Lessons-Unhinged Reviews

   "Singer's directing is crafty bringing the evil of King's psychological thriller to the forefront amidst the novel's controversial context!"  
                                                     -Unhinged Reviews

  "Apt Pupil" is another shining example of how King's literary works can be transformed into some amazing cinematic productions.  Bryan Singer shows true directing genius walking through a minefield laden with Nazi references to deliver a compelling adaptation of King's shocking novella.  When you watch this film, prepare to witness phenomenal acting from the "Great" Ian McKellen, as well as, the deceased Brad Renfro that will surely captivate and demand your full attention.  So without any further delay, let's Unhinge... "Apt Pupil". 

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    This amazing film tells the story of what dangerous consequences untamed curiosity can have in the life a teenage boy named, Todd Bowden(Renfro).  Todd is a smart kid, better yet a kid "too smart for his own good" that stumbles onto some rather interesting revelations about an elder within his community.  Now, one encountering such truths as the boy discovers should have quickly alerted the authorities or even run for the hills, but not Todd.  No, Todd is too confident in his ability to understand subject matter far outside the scope of his peers, so seeking outside guidance isn't an option.  Instead, Todd allows his curiosity to override better judgment which puts him in the crosshairs of a Nazi war criminal named Kurt Dussander.

  Or is it, Arthur Denker(McKellen)?  Either way, young Todd is convinced that he has some compelling evidence to link this Arthur Denker within a horrific time and place known as The Holocaust.  

  One of the most interesting pieces of this film is how the movie shows the transformations in both characters going from differently innocent to evil counterparts working together in a static harmony.  For example, the character of Todd begins as someone who is a little overconfident, a little too cocky, but in no way capable of being a threat to society.  By the end of the story, he is someone who is capable of unspeakable evil without the slightest inkling of remorse or guilt in his body.  Basically that means, the evil within Todd was already there, he just needed Arthur to shed his outer layer.  

  King's writings have always had an ample supply of deep meanings and backdoor symbolism, but this one truly cuts the cake!  To take on the terrifying nature of the torture and murder endured by countless millions is a risky feat, but who better than King to show the darker side of man.  Man is evil by history and we should aspire for a different way of life, but in our lust for power we are corrupted by what we create.  Even today, there are still battles of freedom, imprisonment and unfair dealings going on throughout the world and we still haven't learned from our past.  Maybe one of these days, we'll get it right, but for now...we are lost.

  There are a lot of interesting themes and moments in this film which are discussion worthy, but we would like to know what you thought of the film.  How did it make you feel?  What do you think about Singer's direction of the King novella?  This movie was enjoyable to watch, but might not be appropriate for impressionable young viewers, due to it's mature subject matter and sexual implications.  Enjoy!

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                                                                                                            -Unhinged Reviews-