Terrible

Like a number of posts on this subject, I agree that a good film is one that allows the viewer to come to his own conclusion about the film. "Sauna" is a recent film I watched that does just that. Nothing is fed to the viewer in a nicely wrapped package. What makes films like "Sauna" and "Repo Man" great is that the film (characters, action, plot development, etc) is consistent. That is not the case in this film, and for a writer to expect the audience to buy every development while being inconsistent is lazy and degrading to the viewer's intelligence ("We'll just feed 'em whatever and expect them to buy it...without questioning any holes".)

I love that "Repo Man" never shows what is in the trunk; however, seeing what is in the trunk doesn't cause rational people to suddenly go insane (nor does it suddenly affect any character in any way - other than vaporize them, but that has nothing to do with a character's behavior). What I find problematic is that the girl, who -for all intents and purposes- is a logical, calm, med student, suddenly becomes insane while no other character undergoes any sudden change in behavior, other than becoming greedy. The film explores how greed affects one, and the girl's sudden insanity is too much too quickly. If there had been more back story to suggest she was unstable in the beginning, then I would have bought it. But, as it is she looks in the box -just like everyone else- and is the only one who undergoes such a dramatic shift in character -well beyond greed.

As feedmeacid wrote, if things aren't served on a silver platter some people can't think for themselves. You're missing the logic: By questioning a problem within the plot, I AM thinking for myself. I'm not simply buying into a hole in the plot because the film is supposed to be good. If you have a problem with me thinking (for myself) about a film and finding problems with the plot, and then questioning it, it seems that you are going against your words, and that you are the one with the problem.

So, I'll ask this about what we are supposed to take away from the film: Is the writer suggesting that the more we educate ourselves (the med student set against a drunk salesman and a conductor) the more susceptible one becomes to losing one's sense of right and wrong, thus leading one to become crazy?

Nope. Don't buy it. But, at least I'm thinking for myself instead of hiding behind the effortlessness of "we're just to accept things. If you have a problem with that, you're the one with the problem" while adding no insight to the conversation.