Elephant

Several ordinary high school students go through their daily routine as two others prepare for something more malevolent.

In the wake of the Columbine school shootings, there was much discussion and sensationalism around what could have motivated the two killers to commit such horrific acts before taking their own lives. Elephant explores this question by giving us a window into the harrowing final moments of a pair of fictional high school murderers, as well as their victims.

The film follows several different students in the hour that leads up to the beginning of the violence, showing us the normality of their day to day lives. These segments are surprisingly engrossing, considering it's just people going about their business and interacting with the world that they inhabit. The perpetrators are included in this and are revealed to be pretty average teenagers. The lack of hyperbole in the portrayal is chilling and it's a quality that typifies the tone of the picture as a whole. The documentary feel of the style feeds into this and further accentuates the unspectacular nature of the day, though it's not just the pragmatic approach to filming that is important in this regard.

The cast are made up of untrained high school students, most of whom carry their real names on-screen as well as off. Personally, I found this a little eerie, but that may perhaps have been the point. There were apparently no prepared lines to speak of, Van Sant preferring to allow the amateurs to improvise. This not only helps give the dialogue a genuine flavour, but also avoids any complications that could have arisen through unskilled acting combined with trying to remember what to say. Ultimately, the freedom that is given makes for performances that feel remarkably natural, providing an atmosphere of unsettling realism.

There's also much to appreciate as far as the cinematography is concerned. The incredibly long takes that follow the students as they go through the day are impressive, taking in the bustling environment of the school and its inhabitants. Considering the leisurely pace of the editing, it's perhaps somewhat surprising that the film is almost unbearably tense at times. The knowledge of what is to come coupled with the blissful unawareness of the characters is largely responsible for this. It's an aspect that becomes even more effective once panic begins to spread, confusion, chaos and disbelief replacing the mundane.

As an experience, it can be hard to watch, though in the best possible way. The lack of movie conventions, particularly in terms of gunplay, makes the action that much more moving. There's nothing in the way of stylistic affectation applied and the detached coldness that this provides mirrors the attitude of the killers, bringing the events home with a shockingly powerful impact.

The Verdict:    

8/10
An intense and powerful film that is devastatingly effective in its approach. Poses some tough questions in exploring the subject at hand.