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I really like the TV series 24, but one sticking point I still have about it is its use of torture. Aside from it being much more effective at extracting information from a person in the show than it is in real life, we never see its long-term effects on the victims. In a Glass Cage, on the other hand, is all about this, and the way it portrays these effects is refreshing in its honesty despite being hard to watch at times. It makes a convincing argument that another definition of torture is the process of the abuser transferring his/her soul to the victim. Moreover, it shows that the transference is even more complete if the victim is young and/or innocent. The way the movie reveals victim Angelo's true self is as expertly gradual as it is chilling. With his scar and the reveal that he has no medical knowledge, I like how we purposely get off on the wrong foot with him. Also, the unveiling of his "final form" complete with Nazi uniform is well-timed and packs a wallop. Angelo's preferred answer of "nothing" to questions is also a nice touch; I mean, what better and more succinct word is there to describe his mindset? The movie also deserves credit for the way it utilizes color. While tinted blue, the absence of color in the movie's mansion set is pervasive, which makes the bursts of red that appear when Angelo takes his victims so impactful. These moments, especially the ones involving children, are what I am referring to when I said that it's hard to watch at times, but they are filmed as tastefully as they can be, not to mention necessary given the movie's historical context. In short, there is a lot to respect about how the movie portrays the long-term effects of torture, but there are other movies that do this that I would rank above it like Paul Schrader's Affliction. It also has noticeable flaws, most notably the synth soundtrack. Synth was all the rage in the '80s, so this is not entirely the movie's fault, but its use during the movie's more serious moments undercuts the seriousness a bit. Still, the movie's depiction of torture as soul transference is as effective as it is unique. Sadly, as we observe in the outcome of innocent audience surrogate Rena, this process is hardly limited to two people.
I really like the TV series 24, but one sticking point I still have about it is its use of torture. Aside from it being much more effective at extracting information from a person in the show than it is in real life, we never see its long-term effects on the victims. In a Glass Cage, on the other hand, is all about this, and the way it portrays these effects is refreshing in its honesty despite being hard to watch at times. It makes a convincing argument that another definition of torture is the process of the abuser transferring his/her soul to the victim. Moreover, it shows that the transference is even more complete if the victim is young and/or innocent. The way the movie reveals victim Angelo's true self is as expertly gradual as it is chilling. With his scar and the reveal that he has no medical knowledge, I like how we purposely get off on the wrong foot with him. Also, the unveiling of his "final form" complete with Nazi uniform is well-timed and packs a wallop. Angelo's preferred answer of "nothing" to questions is also a nice touch; I mean, what better and more succinct word is there to describe his mindset? The movie also deserves credit for the way it utilizes color. While tinted blue, the absence of color in the movie's mansion set is pervasive, which makes the bursts of red that appear when Angelo takes his victims so impactful. These moments, especially the ones involving children, are what I am referring to when I said that it's hard to watch at times, but they are filmed as tastefully as they can be, not to mention necessary given the movie's historical context. In short, there is a lot to respect about how the movie portrays the long-term effects of torture, but there are other movies that do this that I would rank above it like Paul Schrader's Affliction. It also has noticeable flaws, most notably the synth soundtrack. Synth was all the rage in the '80s, so this is not entirely the movie's fault, but its use during the movie's more serious moments undercuts the seriousness a bit. Still, the movie's depiction of torture as soul transference is as effective as it is unique. Sadly, as we observe in the outcome of innocent audience surrogate Rena, this process is hardly limited to two people.