MovieChat Forums > The Divide (2012) Discussion > The most hideous film I've ever seen

The most hideous film I've ever seen

posted 9 years ago by Veltaine
33 replies | jump to latest

The first twenty minutes or so of this film were watchable, and even reasonably interesting. But it gradually spirals into a sickening, depressing, and astonishingly ugly story. Directed with an unashamedly misanthropic eye, the not-unimpressive cast is wasted on poorly-written and annoying characters. I don't think that, before watching this, I'd ever seen a movie that is totally bleak and dispiriting, and I am still wondering why anyone would want to give such a piece of work to the world.

If you are looking for a film that depicts even the vaguest hint of human goodness or achievement, look elsewhere.

[–] FridayOnElmStreet 9 years ago

sickening, depressing, and astonishingly ugly story

That sounds good to me.

[–] jnatch 8 years ago

this post made me laugh out loud

[–] FridayOnElmStreet 8 years ago



[–] launlori 9 years ago

To be honest that is probably how a nuclear holocust would go down. People will be fighting over food and it wouldn't be pretty. I wouldn't imagine seeing any type of human kindness in the beginning. It's survival or the fitest or the most armed. I acknowledge that some people will be looking did a kinder gentler world but that won't be the case.

[–] tk_sassy 9 years ago

There is a Dutch movie called De Storm which is based on the heavy floods from years ago. The film actually underplayed the level of cruelty experienced in real life. There are plenty of interviews from the people who experienced it in real life and it was horrible how people treated one another. Indeed if we do face an actual holocaust of some kind, people are going to become pretty sick and twisted and rather quickly at that.

If you want breakfast in bed, sleep in the kitchen!

[–] hexrei 8 years ago

This isn't what really happened in the film though, there was plenty of food. Two of the characters just went crazy for, you know, plot reasons. And OP is right, the characters were terribly written. Sam was especially two dimensional. And I hate to say it, but Michael Biehn's acting was awful. He's really lost it since the mid-90's or so.

What a lovely way to burn...

[–] xystophoros 8 years ago

Plot reasons?

They were trapped in a fallout shelter for months, eating nothing but beans, bored out of their minds, and suffering from radiation which was slowly killing them.

Because society had collapsed, because there were no longer any consequences for anti-social and criminal behavior, and because they had no hope and no future, the strongest of the characters devolved and began to take advantage of the weaker characters.

"The Divide" is literally the divide between civilization and barbarity. And that divide is not a very big one. That was the point of the movie.

As for Sam, he was a lawyer, which means his skill set had no use after the collapse of society. They made it clear earlier on that he was a coward. Throughout the movie, he consistently tried to appease the bad guys, and was even willing to humiliate himself to stay on their "good" side.

I mean, did you watch the movie, or did you have your head buried in your smartphone the whole time?

[–] tagheuer25 8 years ago

Very well said. Although the way it was shown, it did feel like the change was instantaneous. Like the two "dominant characters" suddenly went crazy after obtaining the food supply. Otherwise, I found this film to be realistic for a social experiment (i.e. a group of people is trapped and was made to believe that civilization just ended). Humans can be ugly and dark(and some are.)

[–] sneezer (166) 6 years ago

Watch The Day After. It is another nuclear war movie that shows the grim aftermath, and the horrors of survival that many would face if the bomb is ever dropped. It would be better to die in a situation like that. What a horrible, grim, depressing existance it would be. People would be literally trying to kill eachother for food. I hope i am vaporized if the missiles ever start flying.

[–] iamthehollow 9 years ago

Shush.

[–] omendata 9 years ago

Must agree whilst it was a good idea it was utterly devoid of substance - If you are a manic depressive be warned; this may just push you over the edge.

[–] DeAd_MiKe_187 9 years ago

Your review of the film perfectly describes all of the reasons I loved it.

[–] BornIntoThis 9 years ago

I just watched it, it was pretty *beep* dumb.

[–] xystophoros 9 years ago

Why does a movie have to include "human goodness or achievement"? And why do you think the absence of those things automatically makes a movie bad?

This film was SUPPOSED to be uncomfortable and hard to watch. Here's the thing you're not understanding -- people absolutely behave that way when society breaks down, because societal expectations are what keep us all in line.

Notice the two young guys were polite and respectful to everyone in those first few days, and as it goes from weeks to months they devolve because they think they'll never get out, food is dwindling, they're bored, depressed, and most importantly they no longer think there are consequences for their actions.

We should all be thankful that we don't see things like this in real life, but as you read this there are women starving and being raped in North Korean prison camps, and people forced to rape their own family members at machete point for the amusement of African warlords.

[–] AvidMovieBuff 9 years ago

I couldn't have said it better myself. Thank you!