MovieChat Forums > Johnny Got His Gun (1971) Discussion > Am I The Only One Who Didn't Like This?

Am I The Only One Who Didn't Like This?

posted 15 years ago by bigturdyum
25 replies | jump to latest

No, I'm not a troll. I'm not here to make anybody mad. I'm just very curious as to why it seems that most everybody thinks this film is great. A 7.9 from imdb and 4.5/5 from Amazon (not that either are the greatest of indicators, but between the two that's over 4100 votes, mostly positive). I like all variety of movies. Don't think that I'm partial to action movies. I love a good story like the rest of you. I like weird movies, subtle movies, funny movies, classics, etc.

I read the book about two weeks ago and enjoyed it. For the most part it was excellent, but the ending was a little preachy. I have nothing against a good message, but it felt forced at the ending. The rest of the book I have no problems with. Good flashbacks, interesting thought processes, and some unique scenes. I wasn't sure what to expect with the movie, but I didn't go in trying to dislike it.

So I watched it on DVD today and I was not at all impressed. I felt that the acting was laughable in most scenes and his voice-overs were terrible. "No, not my arm, oh god not my other arm!" I would never normally laugh at something like this, but his delivery was somehow humorous.

Another thing is that the directing seemed horrendous. I'm sure it has to do with his inexperience, but isn't that something you should take into account when you judge a movie? Did nobody else notice how forced most of the scenes were and how cheesy the music was. "Here, feel this emotion. This is happy music!" I have never watched a movie that beat you over the head so blatantly.

Anyway, is this one of those movies that grows on you? I do know a few movies that I didn't like much at first, but eventually grew to love. And I don't think I'm just comparing it to the book too much. All of my problems are not with the story, it's just how the scenes were handled and presented. I don't mind the different ending. I'm not complaining at the lack of a few scenes. So am I going to look back on this in a few months or years and say, "That was actually pretty good." Or am I probably just going to continue to dislike it and move on with my life?

[–] the-one-who-knocks 12 years ago

I agree. I liked the idea of a man imprisoned like he was, but I sort of didn't like the flashbacks, and a lot of the acting was really bad. But the ending was great.

[–] thao 11 years ago

This is a fin film but I did not see the greatness most people are talking about. It felt forced to me. Propaganda with a sledge hammer and no moral ambiguities. Even the surreal and dreamy like sequences, with Jesus and so on, where forced. This film would have been so much better if the director had just trusted his audience and relaxed a little. Made it slow, meditative, dreamy...

- No animal was hurt during the making of this burger -

[–] jackiejns983 11 years ago

Greetings. Google and find the original New York Times Review of this movie - you're feelings are valid in my opinion. This movie was quite well known before Metallica used some clips. I read the book back in the 1970s in Junior High and it Trumbo was quite an historical figure (Hollywood 10). People need to read more history. I'm glad that Metallica called attention to the work of Donald Trumbo, I guess, but the movie is a groaner. It's almost laughable.

[–] fivefids 10 years ago

It's Dalton Trumbo, not Donald Trumbo.

[–] jackiejns983 10 years ago

Whoops - sorry, typo. Even so, I think the point is valid. Night of the Aurochs is worth reading as well.

[–] Daykin 10 years ago

No you are not the only one that didn't like this.

Not only what it poorly executed and stretched out to 90 minutes too long It was dam bbbooooooring, I can understand the need tu question the humanity of such an existence and I get where they tried to go with the story but it was sooo long winded and I actually didn't like it and gave it a 2/10.

Some may see it as a cult hit but not I

Boring, long winded, poorly executed and drivel

[–] EndeAbgrunds 8 years ago

I didn't care for it either. It felt like a film that should've released in the late 50's, due to the musical score and ADR. It's hard to believe that 2001 came out 3 years before this one.

My biggest problem with the film was all the needless dream/memory/fantasy scenes. After the first 4 or 5 I was starting to wonder if the pattern would continue and it did. The intriguing moments were in the hospital, watching Joe struggle, not countless dream/memory/fantasy sequences.

Also, the tone was horribly inconsistent. At certain points throughout the film, I could've swore I was watching a completely different movie like an editing mistake of some sort, and they accidently spliced in some footage from Parent Trap or something haha.

I think Paths Of Glory did a better job with a similar concept 14 years prior to this one.

[–] scott-sw 8 years ago

It was not that I disliked it, but I saw it when I was 10. My cousin (a year older) and I found it on a cable station late one night. It bothered the both of us - and we both had a few nightmares about it. We both wished we had never seen it. I had forgotten about it until I saw the Metallica music video that incorporated the movie. I'm not knocking it cinematically, but it was very disturbing for a ten-year-old boy.