MovieChat Forums > Michael (2012) Discussion > Michael had no personality

Michael had no personality

posted 10 years ago by ekpyrosis-1
6 replies | jump to latest

I mean - the guy from A Moi Seule and Priklopil from 3096 Days both have distinctive personalities - Priklopil is a madman and Vincent from the French movie seems quite a friendly dude who established a father-daughter - like relationship with Gaelle and only sometimes, when he remembers that that's him who is the captor, he shouts at his captive and complains about his having to buy all that crap for her, he exhibits outbursts of violence. But Michael? He's so... boring, no features that would characterize him, just an ordinary average dude.

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[–] Darkshines_07 10 years ago

The last line of your post describes the point of why I think the director didn't portray Michael as an obvious lunatic - he was 'just an ordinary average dude' - that's what makes it more chilling for me. It could be anyone you may meet or see in the street. Even a family member. His mother and sister didn't even suspect what he was hiding.

Also, as the film itself is a quiet study of this situation, it would have been out of place to have a character in it who was larger than life, so to speak.

[–] Errington_92 9 years ago

I would not say Michael had no personality. Michael was shown to be quite sadistic, not only as a pedophile but in his twisted sense of humor. The scenes where Michael throws snowballs at his victim whose unable to defend himself and when he repeats the line he heard on TV regarding the knife reflect his sadistic personality.

I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not.

[–] ekpyrosis-1 9 years ago

He was throwing the balls playfully, he didn't want to hurt the kid but to play with him. It was just for fun. BTW, I wonder why he watched normal porn and not paedo porn - that movie with the knife and dick scene in, I mean.

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[–] greentealover90 9 years ago

I agree with Darkshines. The lifestyle of Michael is cheap. No frills. He seems a typical ordinary German.

[–] PoppyTransfusion 9 years ago

He seems a typical ordinary German.

I think you mean Austrian.

Austria's recent history suggests Michael is very typically Austrian.

A bird sings and the mountain's silence deepens.

[–] PoppyTransfusion 9 years ago

I think you mean by no personality that he is not a florid character. This is, as others have written, what makes the film most compelling.

A bird sings and the mountain's silence deepens.