Now, I am familiar with the director's questionable reputation and I am aware that Uwe Boll bashing is quite a popular sport on Internet forums (heck, I also agree that most of his movies are utter rubbish), but there are a couple of remarkable things about this man's career that you can't possibly neglect and even have to admire in some strange sort of way. First of all, the man is a hard laborer. Few directors have released an average of four movies per year, especially when they also write and produce their own garbage. Secondly, Boll's repertoire is getting more and more versatile and accessible to wider audiences lately. Initially he specialized in adaptations of gory video games, but recently he made cynical comedies ("Postal") as well as action flicks ("Far Cry") and gritty thrillers ("Seed"). And then last but not least, the man is not ashamed to experiment, innovate and – if necessary – to blunder ingloriously. This newly released movie "Stoic", for example, all things considered it turned out a failure, but nevertheless a mild and intriguing one with still a whole lot of merits and praiseworthy factors. I feel I should start with a warning to the squeamish, as "Stoic" is a deeply unpleasant movie with an unceasingly guttural atmosphere and a large amount of inhumanly barbarous shock sequences. At the Fantastic Film Festival in my native country, where Uwe Boll and lead actor Edward Furlong came to introduce the film themselves, several people walked out of the theater because they couldn't cope with the harshness of certain bits of footage. I realize this works as a recommendation more than as a warning, but be advised this is not a movie for everyone. You'll notice during the opening sequences, or here on the film's website page as well, that nobody is credited for writing "Stoic". That is simply because there isn't a screenplay. Uwe Boll based the concept on true events as they occurred in a German prison in 2006 and only gave the most principal of instructions as his cast of four improvised all their lines and dialogs at the spot. This is obviously a risky undertaking, but admittedly it suits the tone of the film which is primitive and raw. Four petty criminals share a minuscule cell and spend most of their days playing poker and exchanging stories on how bad-ass they are. One day, a game of poker runs out of hand and the mentally weakest of the four – Mitch – loses a bet which ordered him to eat a complete tube of toothpaste. He stubbornly refuses and the other three team up against him. What starts out as a silly macho contest quickly escalates into a sick-spirited and vile series of humiliation, torture, vicious rape, mutilation and eventually inflicted suicide. "Stoic" is imaginatively structured, with interview scenes of the three culprits mixed with the footage of what actually happened inside those four prison walls. Initially the three convicts claim it was an ordinary case of suicide, but the truth gradually comes to the surface as they only want to protect themselves and begin to blame the other ones of having the lead. The main malfunction of this movie is that it actually has no reason of existence. It's an exploitative and unimaginably gratuitous piece of torture-porn without added psychological or socialist value whatsoever. Boll pretends to give an insight in human behavior, but basically only stills his own personal hunger for sleaze and violence. We only know the formula is based on true events, but this film draws its own conclusions that are unquestionably far more sensational and grotesque than what really happened. There clearly went very little research into this production prior to shooting, so it would be immensely hypocritical to label "Stoic" as a dramatic portrait of our modern day prison system. Nevertheless I don't want to criticize Mr. Boll's accomplishment any further, as he definitely improved a great deal when it comes to directorial skills and competence. You can sense that he was in control of his filming set and had the luck of working with four adequate young actors, including Edward Furlong and Sam Levinson. "Stoic" is a mean and uncomfortable film that I don't exactly intend to watch again any time soon, but it's undeniably a memorable and out-of-the-ordinary experience.
30 Reviews
A bizarre reminder of just how callous people can be in regard to others
Thrill_KillZ19 May 2013
Warning: Spoilers
You know for a while into the film I was re-examining my own behavior towards "easy targets" when locked up, as it is a habit to "bid" off of other people's misery in whatever way possible for amusement when stuck in such a dire environment. Whether you're the perpetrator or just having fun watching the "kid's play" for lack of a better term, it's a part of ANY prison system and in some cases I'd like to think I'm responsible for at least one person never going back, BUT obviously what happened in this prison just does not happen in 99.99% of cases. In a larger group dynamic this situation wouldn't even be possible, you could get beaten up, raped & shanked but not this type of situation, you need to have the perfect storm of personality traits for this. The people in this cell were just the right/wrong mix with the wrong string of events. Some people have mentioned being shocked that this was a juvenile facility when in truth this bizarre event could likely only have transpired in an environment housing young offenders.
Furlong plays the all around amoral scumbag(himself in a nutshell)who is mixed with the violent skinhead(Mennekes). Combine them with the kid Peter(Levinson) who was really just happy having someone below him on the totem pole to keep the bidding off of him, innocently aggravates the already poor situation for Mitch the cell bitch(Sipos). When the skinhead Jack ratchets things up to an insane level, the scumbag Harry, unaffected at the level that the skinhead has went to, gives Mitch the broomstick treatment, why? For the hell of it, in his mind, why not was likely the only reason for his motivation. Suddenly, the stakes are raised well above Peter's comfort area, so he, out of an act of pure self preservation tries his damnedest to work with what little handle he had on the situation(which was slightly less than zero). Out of desperation he throws out the hanging theory, in his mind it was either appease his cellies or it would be him on the other end of the broomstick or worse, he's just witnessed what they were capable of. If that was as accurate of a portrayal as I've heard then I actually have some sympathy for him, it appears he was put in a situation far beyond his control. In the end I think they were all sentenced very properly. So many times when someone is killed and there are multiple defendants they charge everyone as equals & even often try them as one. In this case it could have easily went that way, but instead they did happen to show some leniency on Peter for his case.
I know I failed to mention the writer/director. Being based on a factual account, I felt the manner in which it was filmed worked very well, going without scripts for much of it. It's not a very satisfying watch, there is very little entertainment value to be had in a telling of this tale regardless of who directs it. I usually don't review old films but after hitting Boll's latest Assault on Wall Street(2013) and getting pleasantly surprised I cracked open the Boll vault & had me a second look. I had COMPLETELY written him off after seeing a few really unsavory early films of his and I'm glad I took a look after seeing Rampage, Seed, Postal, Darfur and now Stoic. When adding his latest flick Assault on Wall Street it actually makes for a decent looking six pack. Who knew? A month ago I would have called him an irredeemable hack. I know, I know, put a batting helmet on a blind person and you're bound to make contact with the ball a few times.
Furlong plays the all around amoral scumbag(himself in a nutshell)who is mixed with the violent skinhead(Mennekes). Combine them with the kid Peter(Levinson) who was really just happy having someone below him on the totem pole to keep the bidding off of him, innocently aggravates the already poor situation for Mitch the cell bitch(Sipos). When the skinhead Jack ratchets things up to an insane level, the scumbag Harry, unaffected at the level that the skinhead has went to, gives Mitch the broomstick treatment, why? For the hell of it, in his mind, why not was likely the only reason for his motivation. Suddenly, the stakes are raised well above Peter's comfort area, so he, out of an act of pure self preservation tries his damnedest to work with what little handle he had on the situation(which was slightly less than zero). Out of desperation he throws out the hanging theory, in his mind it was either appease his cellies or it would be him on the other end of the broomstick or worse, he's just witnessed what they were capable of. If that was as accurate of a portrayal as I've heard then I actually have some sympathy for him, it appears he was put in a situation far beyond his control. In the end I think they were all sentenced very properly. So many times when someone is killed and there are multiple defendants they charge everyone as equals & even often try them as one. In this case it could have easily went that way, but instead they did happen to show some leniency on Peter for his case.
I know I failed to mention the writer/director. Being based on a factual account, I felt the manner in which it was filmed worked very well, going without scripts for much of it. It's not a very satisfying watch, there is very little entertainment value to be had in a telling of this tale regardless of who directs it. I usually don't review old films but after hitting Boll's latest Assault on Wall Street(2013) and getting pleasantly surprised I cracked open the Boll vault & had me a second look. I had COMPLETELY written him off after seeing a few really unsavory early films of his and I'm glad I took a look after seeing Rampage, Seed, Postal, Darfur and now Stoic. When adding his latest flick Assault on Wall Street it actually makes for a decent looking six pack. Who knew? A month ago I would have called him an irredeemable hack. I know, I know, put a batting helmet on a blind person and you're bound to make contact with the ball a few times.
Uwe Boll does drama.
zulus8810 April 2011
Perhaps with childish naivety, I used to believe that Uwe Boll's trademark reputation is actually an effect of a very conscious manipulation. I hoped that one day he would emerge, like a stunning butterfly, from a cocoon of abysmal effort that did nothing but ruined countless video game franchises for their fans across the globe. Stoic and following it Rampage and Darfur (all three made in 2009) were to change prevailing opinion about Boll's lack of talent and test his skill in a more serious context. The first of them- a gritty prison drama, is far from the lows set by i.e. Alone in the Dark (2005) but is it sufficiently competent to redeem Boll? Supposedly based on facts- but in fact difficult to verify, Stoic is restricted to the space of one cell and a tragedy that plays out within it, between four cell-mates. Film is divided into interviews with three of them in the aftermath of their cell-mate's suicide death and footage that leads to this incident. Both unfold together, slowly revealing the true nature of the tragedy and each prisoner's role in it.
Although structure allows for interesting escalation of both guilt and violence it is in no way reminiscent of Rashomon (1950) and Boll remains objective as to what we see leaving no questions about intentions of the violators. Extended from merely a treatment, film is filled with improvised rant that fails to capture the true essence of this story. All three aggressors come across unnaturally and their solid performances are wasted on an aimless direction that resorts to their monologue every time the narrative runs out of steam.
In the end 80 minutes long feature is carried forward by several acts of brutality that turn to be disturbingly engrossing beats sustaining the collapsing tension. Stoic aims to be gritty and realist but lacks focus and talent to achieve these qualities. What materialises on the screen is a bore- repetitive and at times moronic dialogue and an apparent agenda that packs a punch but misses its target by miles. It fails to shock because it lacks any competently realised context for its content.
Verdict: It's better than any of the countless video-game adaptations that Boll unleashed in his fury upon the world. But even still it is stagy, amateurish film-making that makes a point by showing brutal, animalistic behaviour but lacks either will or talent to turn it into anything relevant. There is simply no reward in enduring the violence for its sake and no interesting insight into why it was committed, beyond the obvious capacity for it that we all share. We come already equipped in that knowledge, Stoic does nothing that we wouldn't already know.
Although structure allows for interesting escalation of both guilt and violence it is in no way reminiscent of Rashomon (1950) and Boll remains objective as to what we see leaving no questions about intentions of the violators. Extended from merely a treatment, film is filled with improvised rant that fails to capture the true essence of this story. All three aggressors come across unnaturally and their solid performances are wasted on an aimless direction that resorts to their monologue every time the narrative runs out of steam.
In the end 80 minutes long feature is carried forward by several acts of brutality that turn to be disturbingly engrossing beats sustaining the collapsing tension. Stoic aims to be gritty and realist but lacks focus and talent to achieve these qualities. What materialises on the screen is a bore- repetitive and at times moronic dialogue and an apparent agenda that packs a punch but misses its target by miles. It fails to shock because it lacks any competently realised context for its content.
Verdict: It's better than any of the countless video-game adaptations that Boll unleashed in his fury upon the world. But even still it is stagy, amateurish film-making that makes a point by showing brutal, animalistic behaviour but lacks either will or talent to turn it into anything relevant. There is simply no reward in enduring the violence for its sake and no interesting insight into why it was committed, beyond the obvious capacity for it that we all share. We come already equipped in that knowledge, Stoic does nothing that we wouldn't already know.
A Pain Worth to Suffer
pontram8 April 2011
The events in this movie happened a few years ago in a German youth-prison, exactly like director/writer Uwe Boll tells. I researched and found accurate reports from that time on some German online newspapers. The only fiction in the movie may be the interviews with the offenders, but their's and the victim's character's have many similarities with the real ones.
People may detest this unusual movie, because it's really merciless with the audience, and the audience here may not be the same like in some other Boll movies. But in this case brutality is not shown to entertain, entertaining graphic violence has mostly a fictional aspect, which is not present here, it is shown to make the audience uncomfortable, to disturb.
To watch this movie means to participate with, to be in a small room together with three young men who are torturing and killing another one, who is too weak to help himself. And we can't help him.
Boll did his homework for this movie. The story follows exactly the real events, the young actors are very believable - for me Furlong does the most convincing part - the dissecting camera is always where it should (not) be, and the cut is well-made to give the audience some air to breathe; at least we get some insights about what drives such twisted minds.
Stoic is not a big movie, it's not for a big audience at all. It's not even an artwork. But it's a good, honest documentary horror movie about what people are able to do if civilization is only a few steps away.
People may detest this unusual movie, because it's really merciless with the audience, and the audience here may not be the same like in some other Boll movies. But in this case brutality is not shown to entertain, entertaining graphic violence has mostly a fictional aspect, which is not present here, it is shown to make the audience uncomfortable, to disturb.
To watch this movie means to participate with, to be in a small room together with three young men who are torturing and killing another one, who is too weak to help himself. And we can't help him.
Boll did his homework for this movie. The story follows exactly the real events, the young actors are very believable - for me Furlong does the most convincing part - the dissecting camera is always where it should (not) be, and the cut is well-made to give the audience some air to breathe; at least we get some insights about what drives such twisted minds.
Stoic is not a big movie, it's not for a big audience at all. It's not even an artwork. But it's a good, honest documentary horror movie about what people are able to do if civilization is only a few steps away.
The Toothpaste is Swallowed
StevePulaski4 July 2010
Let me start off by saying this is the lowest rating I have ever given a movie. Thats just how bad it is. To begin with, it's not a film. More like mindless snuff and torture porn elements that will make you puke. This doesn't qualify as a film. It simply is something you make for fun, or just to show how ignorant you are. What a cruel, and distasteful film. With bad acting and directing from, god help us, Uwe Boll.
Uwe Boll has been criticized for the worst director of all time. In which is a dubious honor, but must be awarded, like all, in opinion. I have to say anyone who thinks Boll's directing or overall work is great needs to watch this trash. Its a cold and heartless "movie" that is just the worst you can expect from anybody. Even Uwe Boll.
The film is supposedly a non-fiction tale about four cellmates who get into a heated poker game which results in the quiet cellmate not living up to his bet of eating an entire tube of toothpaste if he looses the hand. He is brutally beaten and forced the toothpaste down his throat. That is only the icing on the abuse cake. He is rapes, beaten, mutilated, and left for dead in most cases. What kind of film is this? A crappy, low class mess that should've been scrapped when the idea was pitched.
I honestly had to blink twice to see that Edward Furlong. Funny man from Detroit Rock City is in this crap. Honestly, I couldn't believe it. Maybe those drug problems gave him some bad karma. Who knows. Stoic is one of the few Uwe Boll films that is not based off a video game of the same name or concept. If this was a video game I couldn't expect it being banned seeing the movie wasn't. Althoug, I don't think the goal of raping and mutilating a man for no good reason is a great concept for a film.
My uncle warned me about this film, but since I'm an idiot, I must see or have the "forbidden fruit". If he said this movie caused Cancer I would have watched it. I'm sorry to say this, and would hate to again. He was right. The film sucked. An easy candidate for the worst film of 2009, and a possible candidate for the top five worst films ever.
Starring: Edward Furlong, Shaun Sipos, Sam Levinson, and Steffen Mennekes. Directed by: Uwe Boll.
Uwe Boll has been criticized for the worst director of all time. In which is a dubious honor, but must be awarded, like all, in opinion. I have to say anyone who thinks Boll's directing or overall work is great needs to watch this trash. Its a cold and heartless "movie" that is just the worst you can expect from anybody. Even Uwe Boll.
The film is supposedly a non-fiction tale about four cellmates who get into a heated poker game which results in the quiet cellmate not living up to his bet of eating an entire tube of toothpaste if he looses the hand. He is brutally beaten and forced the toothpaste down his throat. That is only the icing on the abuse cake. He is rapes, beaten, mutilated, and left for dead in most cases. What kind of film is this? A crappy, low class mess that should've been scrapped when the idea was pitched.
I honestly had to blink twice to see that Edward Furlong. Funny man from Detroit Rock City is in this crap. Honestly, I couldn't believe it. Maybe those drug problems gave him some bad karma. Who knows. Stoic is one of the few Uwe Boll films that is not based off a video game of the same name or concept. If this was a video game I couldn't expect it being banned seeing the movie wasn't. Althoug, I don't think the goal of raping and mutilating a man for no good reason is a great concept for a film.
My uncle warned me about this film, but since I'm an idiot, I must see or have the "forbidden fruit". If he said this movie caused Cancer I would have watched it. I'm sorry to say this, and would hate to again. He was right. The film sucked. An easy candidate for the worst film of 2009, and a possible candidate for the top five worst films ever.
Starring: Edward Furlong, Shaun Sipos, Sam Levinson, and Steffen Mennekes. Directed by: Uwe Boll.
What's wrong with human beings!
c064545 October 2010
Let me first say I didn't rent this movie, one of my co-workers did. We work nights and he put the movie on, so I couldn't leave work to avoid this atrocity! I didn't watch the entire movie, but heard it all.
This movie actually ended up creating a long debate (which we all agree was the point of the movie). I felt that this movie had merit with the story, and agree that it needed to be told, but the imagery was nothing more than shock and gore factor (I agree with other reviews that it borders on sadistic porn).
In my option, a good director should be able to get a point across about how horrific something is, without having to resort to horrific images.
The movie ended with some redeeming points, but over all this movie made me wonder what's wrong with human beings (both the criminals who originally committed the crimes, and the people involved in making this movie).
This movie actually ended up creating a long debate (which we all agree was the point of the movie). I felt that this movie had merit with the story, and agree that it needed to be told, but the imagery was nothing more than shock and gore factor (I agree with other reviews that it borders on sadistic porn).
In my option, a good director should be able to get a point across about how horrific something is, without having to resort to horrific images.
The movie ended with some redeeming points, but over all this movie made me wonder what's wrong with human beings (both the criminals who originally committed the crimes, and the people involved in making this movie).
Uwe's best work.
xpunk_rock_poetx29 May 2010
After a game of poker takes a turn for the dark side, three inmates find themselves trying to cover up the brutal beating and torture of the fourth inmate in their cell. Stoic, starring Edward Furlong, Shaun Sipos, Sam Levinson, and Steffen Mennekes leads you through the horrible acts, using flashbacks and interview style Q&A with the inmates involved. Stoic is also based on the true story of an inmate from a German juvenile detention center, who was brutalized by fellow cellies.
I had huge doubts going into this movie knowing that it was directed by Uwe Boll, Who's only movies I had been exposed to before this were video game related. The fact that I happen to be a big Edward Furlong fan caused me to give this flick a try. After all, If I was able to sit through the third crow film, I can survive anything. This movie takes every fear a man has about going into the prison system, and rolls it up into one nonstop ride of fear, and uneasiness. The worse case scenario of jail is unfolded in front of you in a very graphic and unforgiving manor. You can really feel the tension rise to higher and higher levels as things continue to spiral further out of control with each passing minute. It's very rare a movie ever makes me truly feel sorry for a victim, because I'm always able to tell myself it's just a movie, it's all in good fun. Stoic does a really impressive job at making you feel for the young man being tortured for no real reason at all.
Now, the things that bothered me about this film, first of all, when in prison, guards check on cells on a pretty frequent time frame, it seemed like a lot of time passed in this movie with no guard in site, beyond when they got food. Of course, that can be overlooked, but there is one scene in the film which I won't spoil just for the sake that some of you may go watch this after reading this, but let's just say huge shenanigans called on the red button incident with no one double checking on the claim made.
With that said I'm shocked, and kind of disturbed to say I enjoyed an Uwe boll movie, and not just because Edward furlong was involved. I was very impressed with the raw, and realistic nature of the film for the most part, and also its ability to make you feel something. I recommend you give it a watch, especially you Netflix users out there, as it is currently viewable via instaqueue.
7/10 - Ritualistic The Liberal Dead http://liberaldead.blogspot.com
I had huge doubts going into this movie knowing that it was directed by Uwe Boll, Who's only movies I had been exposed to before this were video game related. The fact that I happen to be a big Edward Furlong fan caused me to give this flick a try. After all, If I was able to sit through the third crow film, I can survive anything. This movie takes every fear a man has about going into the prison system, and rolls it up into one nonstop ride of fear, and uneasiness. The worse case scenario of jail is unfolded in front of you in a very graphic and unforgiving manor. You can really feel the tension rise to higher and higher levels as things continue to spiral further out of control with each passing minute. It's very rare a movie ever makes me truly feel sorry for a victim, because I'm always able to tell myself it's just a movie, it's all in good fun. Stoic does a really impressive job at making you feel for the young man being tortured for no real reason at all.
Now, the things that bothered me about this film, first of all, when in prison, guards check on cells on a pretty frequent time frame, it seemed like a lot of time passed in this movie with no guard in site, beyond when they got food. Of course, that can be overlooked, but there is one scene in the film which I won't spoil just for the sake that some of you may go watch this after reading this, but let's just say huge shenanigans called on the red button incident with no one double checking on the claim made.
With that said I'm shocked, and kind of disturbed to say I enjoyed an Uwe boll movie, and not just because Edward furlong was involved. I was very impressed with the raw, and realistic nature of the film for the most part, and also its ability to make you feel something. I recommend you give it a watch, especially you Netflix users out there, as it is currently viewable via instaqueue.
7/10 - Ritualistic The Liberal Dead http://liberaldead.blogspot.com
Never watch this film.
sweaterqueen902 October 2010
Warning: Spoilers
I am struggling to understand any of these positive reviews. First off, I have not seen any of 'Uwe Boll' other offerings so I am not judging the film by his previous work, solely on this pointlessly brutal, savage unrelenting 82 minutes of film. I can usually watch films no matter of their content, however I did need to fast forward at least half of Stoic. Stil, some of the images of the film still haunt me! I fast forwarded hoping (somewhat naively) for a happy ending. I could quite happily of lived my entire life without watching this film. I really am confused as to why people would merit this, chiefly due to the 'shock factor'. I would estimate that 95% of the people who have watched and enjoyed this film are on some sort of register, and if they have kids social services will most definitely be keeping a close eye on them. In short, if you watched and enjoyed this film, you're probably a pervert; a violent, weird, pervert.
wow
PyraBlaze18 April 2010
I have always been a big fan of eddie furlong's so when i saw his name on the cover of this film at the video store i of course wanted to rent it, that is until i saw who had directed it now i know the very large stigma that comes with anything uwe boll directs but never the less i rented it anyway hoping that perhaps it would not be the same as some of his other films i have seen.
Wow. just wow, i don't really know how to explain my feelings on this film. Firstly i would like to say that this is in no means what so ever a bad film it is in fact the opposite, it blew me away. I was incredibly surprised at how quickly it had drawn me in, the acting was impeccable and the story absolutely heartbreaking. Certain scenes had me sitting in front of my television mouth agape with tears in my eyes which is very unexpected from a Uwe Boll film.
I am absolutely serious when i say watch this film, it will make up for a lot of the disappointments that came from his previous works. This movie says a lot about the human condition and the things we will do to save our own asses.
Wow. just wow, i don't really know how to explain my feelings on this film. Firstly i would like to say that this is in no means what so ever a bad film it is in fact the opposite, it blew me away. I was incredibly surprised at how quickly it had drawn me in, the acting was impeccable and the story absolutely heartbreaking. Certain scenes had me sitting in front of my television mouth agape with tears in my eyes which is very unexpected from a Uwe Boll film.
I am absolutely serious when i say watch this film, it will make up for a lot of the disappointments that came from his previous works. This movie says a lot about the human condition and the things we will do to save our own asses.
Could the Boll Haters start dropping it now?
dschmeding20 July 2009
Warning: Spoilers
I won't go into discussing previous Boll Movies because it won't help talking about Stoic for its completely different at least from the trash I've seen by Boll. Stoic is a pretty straight movie about 4 guys in a prison cell and the dark automatics that group dynamics can take. The movie is pretty slow which makes sense because it follows all the little steps that lead to a giant disaster. It focuses on the 3 guys torturing their cell mates beginning with macho humiliation games that turn into a murder masked as a suicide. The visuals are gritty and the atmosphere is dark and kind of nihilistic, yet this movie is based on a true recent case in which the convicts were just around 20 years old. Stoic is no masterpiece, sure but its a movie that serves its purpose... the acting is believable, the inter-cut interview sequences with the depicted real events work, the atmosphere is cold and realistic in that the motivation by fear is pretty obvious for all involved. There are now winners here but luckily the picture painted is not black and white but a dark gray. I hate when cases like this one are put aside with the bare argument that the killers were "animals" or something like that because it almost never is simple like that. I like movies like Stoic for forcing the viewer to look at a side of humanity that is dormant in all of us until we are dropped into situations like the one depicted here and who knows if you or me wouldn't do things we can't think of now when fear messes up our rationality.
I think the possibilities of group dynamics were depicted in a raw and realistic way... kind of reminded me of the bleak outcome in "Eden Lake". And in that it made me think after the credits rolled it sure was a good movie. I can understand if some people consider it too slow or too exploitative, yet I wouldn't say that myself. But a rating of 3 points with most reviews positive seems to finally prove that a lot of people really just hate Boll whatever he does. Up to now I saw no reason to argue for Boll but with this film I do since it is definitely far better than Bolls previous outputs.
I think the possibilities of group dynamics were depicted in a raw and realistic way... kind of reminded me of the bleak outcome in "Eden Lake". And in that it made me think after the credits rolled it sure was a good movie. I can understand if some people consider it too slow or too exploitative, yet I wouldn't say that myself. But a rating of 3 points with most reviews positive seems to finally prove that a lot of people really just hate Boll whatever he does. Up to now I saw no reason to argue for Boll but with this film I do since it is definitely far better than Bolls previous outputs.
Uwe Boll Proves His Inability to Chose a Film-Worthy Story
Apologetickid13 June 2010
I watched two Uwe Boll movies in the past 24 hours (the other being Rampage) most primarily because they were both available for free streaming through Netflix as a result of their direct-to-video release (which is not a good sign). Let me say, unequivocally that Uwe Boll should never be allowed to direct another film. Period! He has besmirched the good names of countless video game franchises, and now he has taken a stab at a serious story. Prison movies have a knack for being easy home-runs for directors (see Shawshank Redemption, Escape from Alcatraz, American History X, The Green Mile, etc.) But somehow, Boll has ineptly chosen a story which relies almost entirely on shock-value to upset the viewer into thinking they have watched something of substance. At its best the film is ridiculous, and at its worst it borders on "gore porn." By the way, where the heck are the prison guards? I have a friend or two who have spent some time in lock-up, and they've informed me that it's nearly impossible to pick your nose without a C.O. peeking in on you. The idea that these guys somehow turned their cell into a 10 hour non-stop torture oasis is laughable. It just couldn't happen. The story makes no sense. There are an infinite number of bad stories out there, but only a handful of directors incompetent enough to think of making one into a movie. The reason this film gets two stars rather than one is because Edward Furlong reminds me of his hey-day in T2: Judgment Day. That, and that alone, is the redeeming factor in this film.
Terrifying
Markery9 June 2011
It's very rare for me to watch a movie rated below 5 stars on IMDb. But I have only watched one of Uwe Boll's films; Rampage. Which I loved. So I thought I would give this one a shot, and I was extremely surprised. This movie triumphs movies I've watched with a 7 star rating.
The movie has a way a putting you in with those cell mates on that night when a poker game goes awry, seriously awry. You see the struggle for power, and how far they will actually go to maintain their stature in the hierarchy. It's interesting to see the confessions play linearly to it, and how their story changes as the movie progresses. And I loved the acting, it was fantastic.
So all I have to say, is if you wanna see a horrific and heart wrenching night in a prison cell, watch this film.
The movie has a way a putting you in with those cell mates on that night when a poker game goes awry, seriously awry. You see the struggle for power, and how far they will actually go to maintain their stature in the hierarchy. It's interesting to see the confessions play linearly to it, and how their story changes as the movie progresses. And I loved the acting, it was fantastic.
So all I have to say, is if you wanna see a horrific and heart wrenching night in a prison cell, watch this film.
A dark, very unpleasant, though ultimately compelling look at group psychosis
bob_meg21 February 2011
I don't really get all the Uwe Boll bashers out there. I don't watch his video game films because, quite frankly, I think if you want to have a video game experience you should PLAY a video game. Call me crazy.
I watched "Stoic" because I loved "Rampage"---I loved the originality of it, I admired it's clarity of vision, and I liked the outlandishness of the piece. Boll's "I-don't-give-a-f***" attitude definitely did show through in that hyper-violent orgasm and it does so again with "Stoic."
What's odd about "Stoic" is that it would almost play better as a stage production. It's based on a real event that occurred in a German prison, where a harmless dare escalated into deadly consequence. It's really pretty simple, as Sam Levinson states in the preamble: "This system doesn't work!" And why should it? You put four guys in one small room, with varying degrees of maladaptive personalities, subject them to endless tedium and little activity---what do you think would happen? There is a reason why most US prisons don't do four-to-a-cell, after all.
The acting is very good for the most part (Levinson gets a bit melodramatic, but it's passable). Furlong is creepily chilling in his passive-aggressiveness. It's not the type of movie that generates a lot of tension (probably why few people like it). It does generate DREAD however and it isn't pleasant to watch even in a sicko-torture-porn type of way...there are no "oh wow" EFX...it's just...degrading. Would I watch it again? Probably not. Would I recommend it to my parents? Hell no.
Yet, I find myself giving it a relatively high-score. For those interested in how group dynamics tend to obliterate the ability or desire to think for one's self, "Stoic" is an relatively bold statement. One wonders if Boll was thinking of his rubber-stamping detractors when he made it.
I watched "Stoic" because I loved "Rampage"---I loved the originality of it, I admired it's clarity of vision, and I liked the outlandishness of the piece. Boll's "I-don't-give-a-f***" attitude definitely did show through in that hyper-violent orgasm and it does so again with "Stoic."
What's odd about "Stoic" is that it would almost play better as a stage production. It's based on a real event that occurred in a German prison, where a harmless dare escalated into deadly consequence. It's really pretty simple, as Sam Levinson states in the preamble: "This system doesn't work!" And why should it? You put four guys in one small room, with varying degrees of maladaptive personalities, subject them to endless tedium and little activity---what do you think would happen? There is a reason why most US prisons don't do four-to-a-cell, after all.
The acting is very good for the most part (Levinson gets a bit melodramatic, but it's passable). Furlong is creepily chilling in his passive-aggressiveness. It's not the type of movie that generates a lot of tension (probably why few people like it). It does generate DREAD however and it isn't pleasant to watch even in a sicko-torture-porn type of way...there are no "oh wow" EFX...it's just...degrading. Would I watch it again? Probably not. Would I recommend it to my parents? Hell no.
Yet, I find myself giving it a relatively high-score. For those interested in how group dynamics tend to obliterate the ability or desire to think for one's self, "Stoic" is an relatively bold statement. One wonders if Boll was thinking of his rubber-stamping detractors when he made it.
Terrible
Sergao8823 April 2010
Before I go any Further, I would like to say, I have seen far worst than this! House of the Dead, Battlefield Earth and FearDotCom are just a few that I have seen. When watching this film, I was lost when trying to Figure out the above films were rated better. House of the Dead was probably the worst I have seen and its still rated better. Alone in the Dark isn't amazing. It wont live long in the Memory for some but it deserves a lot more than 2.0.
If you are unfortunate enough to be in a theater where this movie is showing, and you don't pass out, you'll laugh at what are supposed to be frightening or suspenseful moments of the film. The implausibility of several scenes will just stun you, conveys the feeling of anyone who pays to see this. If you must see this movie, do yourself a favor and wait until it's in the bargain bin at the video store. If there's any justice in the film industry, one of the main actors will be there to rent it to you.
If you are unfortunate enough to be in a theater where this movie is showing, and you don't pass out, you'll laugh at what are supposed to be frightening or suspenseful moments of the film. The implausibility of several scenes will just stun you, conveys the feeling of anyone who pays to see this. If you must see this movie, do yourself a favor and wait until it's in the bargain bin at the video store. If there's any justice in the film industry, one of the main actors will be there to rent it to you.
Hard To Watch
JakeRfilmfreak19 September 2023
Stoic is a 2009 film directed by Uwe Boll about four cellmates and a poker game that goes from bad to worse, to horrific. It's unnerving, disturbing, and sad.
Stoic is the kind of movie that if you watch it at all, you will probably only watch it once. Because, although the acting in the film is very good the stories subject matter is very difficult to sit through. The characters are raw and unapologetic, The setting will make you feel claustrophobic, and the end will leave you speechless.
This is not a film that I can say I enjoy, but if you like hard to watch movies then this is one that you shouldn't be disappointed with.
Stoic is the kind of movie that if you watch it at all, you will probably only watch it once. Because, although the acting in the film is very good the stories subject matter is very difficult to sit through. The characters are raw and unapologetic, The setting will make you feel claustrophobic, and the end will leave you speechless.
This is not a film that I can say I enjoy, but if you like hard to watch movies then this is one that you shouldn't be disappointed with.
Shockingly good
eschase20 May 2020
Tl;dr: Ignore the spammed rating, we all know Uwe Boll is a reliably terrible director, but he pulled off this one good film in his life. Good acting, good premise, believable characters who's motives are understandable given the context. It's pretty bleak, but if that's what you're into, it's a great way to spend an hour and half.
If I have any complaints about the movie, it's in the editing and (lack of) script. First of all, the movie is frequently intercut with interviews/interrogations of the surviving inmates. However, there is nobody in the movie actually questioning them. Often they'll answer a question and the audience doesn't have any context. It's my understanding that much of this film was improvised, which really helped the conversational madness of the scenes in the cell. But occasionally, you could tell an actor was stuck trying to think of something to say, which leaves a few awkward pauses and strange phrasing.
Other than that, for a movie that mostly takes place in a single room, it's quite entertaining. The pacing is great; you'll never be bored. There's some great acting, especially from Sam Levinson who you truly believe is traumatized. In his interview segments, he gives a very emotional performance. He acted with his hands a bit too much, but other than that, I'm shocked he hasn't done more serious mainstream dramatic roles.
The worst performance comes from John Connor from Terminator 2 (once I realized who he was, that's all I could think of him as). He's not terrible, but he plays the most remorseless character, so it seems like he's trying too hard to be a generic sociopath. The German dude was pretty good too.
Obviously the movie is dark and depressing, but if that's the kind of thing you're into, I highly recommend it.
If I have any complaints about the movie, it's in the editing and (lack of) script. First of all, the movie is frequently intercut with interviews/interrogations of the surviving inmates. However, there is nobody in the movie actually questioning them. Often they'll answer a question and the audience doesn't have any context. It's my understanding that much of this film was improvised, which really helped the conversational madness of the scenes in the cell. But occasionally, you could tell an actor was stuck trying to think of something to say, which leaves a few awkward pauses and strange phrasing.
Other than that, for a movie that mostly takes place in a single room, it's quite entertaining. The pacing is great; you'll never be bored. There's some great acting, especially from Sam Levinson who you truly believe is traumatized. In his interview segments, he gives a very emotional performance. He acted with his hands a bit too much, but other than that, I'm shocked he hasn't done more serious mainstream dramatic roles.
The worst performance comes from John Connor from Terminator 2 (once I realized who he was, that's all I could think of him as). He's not terrible, but he plays the most remorseless character, so it seems like he's trying too hard to be a generic sociopath. The German dude was pretty good too.
Obviously the movie is dark and depressing, but if that's the kind of thing you're into, I highly recommend it.
A genuinely good movie
parul-chawla27 July 2009
Warning: Spoilers
I'm disappointed at the reviews and comments this film has received. Yes it's a tough movie to digest, but it's raising awareness on a much larger issue, which I think people completely overlooked. Had this movie been based on a prison cell in a less developed country, it probably would have had the critics going bravo. But picture this happening in Germany? In terms of directing, Boll did an excellent job. The rawness of the movie adds to the effectiveness of the characters and leaves you at the edge of your seat wondering just how much worse can it get.
A lot of people have complained about walking out of the cinema hall, which is baffling to me. If you were, in one night, tormented, beaten up, peed on, raped, and then had a broom shoved up your ass before you were forced to hang yourself - wouldn't you hope that individuals would actually have the humanity to understand what you've been through? Apparently not, as critics are more concerned about Boll's directing than the guy who endured this in 2006. Nobody should have to go through this insanity for any reason whatsoever. And looking back at the sentences the 3 guys received for what they did - well it just goes to show you the value of human life. Is more jail time really going to solve this problem? I don't think so. A flawed system is just the beginning. Why exactly are taxpayers paying to cloth and feed such animals beats me.
All in all, I was hoping IMDb would have more information on where these guys are now and of course a better rating for a really well made film. My advice: please go watch this movie. If you're super sensitive, then at least rent it. The movie sticks with you and when you wake up the next day, you'll still be thinking, damn that really happened to someone. I'm grateful to the guys that made this movie for bringing this incident to the forefront. The movie is very powerful and as painful as it might be to watch, you'll be glad you did.
Now should this movie win an award: definitely. Should people stop talking about Boll and focus on the issues raised - I can only hope.
A lot of people have complained about walking out of the cinema hall, which is baffling to me. If you were, in one night, tormented, beaten up, peed on, raped, and then had a broom shoved up your ass before you were forced to hang yourself - wouldn't you hope that individuals would actually have the humanity to understand what you've been through? Apparently not, as critics are more concerned about Boll's directing than the guy who endured this in 2006. Nobody should have to go through this insanity for any reason whatsoever. And looking back at the sentences the 3 guys received for what they did - well it just goes to show you the value of human life. Is more jail time really going to solve this problem? I don't think so. A flawed system is just the beginning. Why exactly are taxpayers paying to cloth and feed such animals beats me.
All in all, I was hoping IMDb would have more information on where these guys are now and of course a better rating for a really well made film. My advice: please go watch this movie. If you're super sensitive, then at least rent it. The movie sticks with you and when you wake up the next day, you'll still be thinking, damn that really happened to someone. I'm grateful to the guys that made this movie for bringing this incident to the forefront. The movie is very powerful and as painful as it might be to watch, you'll be glad you did.
Now should this movie win an award: definitely. Should people stop talking about Boll and focus on the issues raised - I can only hope.
Well acted
ebogart-1164520 September 2019
I thought the movie was really well acted. I don't want to spoil too much of this movie but it's definitely not a watch with the family movie. I really liked the in between interview shots. That's where I thought the acting shined the best.
Boll at his very, very best
SkinheadTimes6 July 2009
Warning: Spoilers
To start, this is most definitely not a film that you'd sit and watch for fun. That said, this is by far cult director Uwe Boll's most accomplished and mature work thus far, albeit a film that many will find hard to stomach.
Based on a shocking incident which occurred in a German jail in 2006, Boll uses the premise as an opportunity to launch a searing polemic against a system which locks men up like caged animals for 23 hours per day with nothing to do, in the name of punishment and then is somehow surprised and outraged when these men behave more like animals than human beings.
We get to watch, helpless as Mitch (Sipos, absolutely superb here), a quiet young man imprisoned for a petty criminal offence is bullied, brutalised, tortured and cruelly degraded as a human being over a period of 18 hours (or so) by his three cell-mates who began the day as his friends. A series of events that is set in motion by an ill-advised poker bet with a sprinkling of swaggering bravado soon gets way out of hand and swiftly descends into an insane pack-mentality, survival-of-the-fittest situation that cannot be stopped, simply because it has already gone too far. As you might imagine, this does not end happily.
Filmed on a shoestring budget in a grand total of two locations with almost all of the dialogue being improvised by almost-unrecognisable-from-his-T2-days Edward Furlong, the excellent (and probably destined for much bigger things) Sam Levinson, Steffen Mennekes (who gives a memorable turn as the mentally-unstable German skinhead, Jack) and the aforementioned Shaun Sipos, Stoic takes the audience on a raw, intense, brutal and emotionally-draining journey into the pitch-black heart of the human condition and graphically portrays the most base, animalistic aspects of Man's nature as they explosively erupt to the surface, as they tend to when people freed from all concepts of personal responsibility.
Stoic contains graphic violence and scenes of a disturbing and upsetting nature, however I must credit Dr. Boll for his restraint and sensitivity towards the subject matter here. It would've been all too easy to film Stoic as some sort of tacky exploitation/torture porn flick, using Mitch's suffering as entertainment for a horror audience. Instead, he gave us something entirely different - something that leaves the audience completely drained, numb with shock at the end and with little option but to sit and contemplate the events just witnessed (think Gaspar Noé's Irréversible or Takashi Miike's Audition for the effect I'm talking about). For that, I salute him.
If Uwe Boll is ever going to win an award (a good award, not a Razzie) for one of his movies, this will be the one.
Based on a shocking incident which occurred in a German jail in 2006, Boll uses the premise as an opportunity to launch a searing polemic against a system which locks men up like caged animals for 23 hours per day with nothing to do, in the name of punishment and then is somehow surprised and outraged when these men behave more like animals than human beings.
We get to watch, helpless as Mitch (Sipos, absolutely superb here), a quiet young man imprisoned for a petty criminal offence is bullied, brutalised, tortured and cruelly degraded as a human being over a period of 18 hours (or so) by his three cell-mates who began the day as his friends. A series of events that is set in motion by an ill-advised poker bet with a sprinkling of swaggering bravado soon gets way out of hand and swiftly descends into an insane pack-mentality, survival-of-the-fittest situation that cannot be stopped, simply because it has already gone too far. As you might imagine, this does not end happily.
Filmed on a shoestring budget in a grand total of two locations with almost all of the dialogue being improvised by almost-unrecognisable-from-his-T2-days Edward Furlong, the excellent (and probably destined for much bigger things) Sam Levinson, Steffen Mennekes (who gives a memorable turn as the mentally-unstable German skinhead, Jack) and the aforementioned Shaun Sipos, Stoic takes the audience on a raw, intense, brutal and emotionally-draining journey into the pitch-black heart of the human condition and graphically portrays the most base, animalistic aspects of Man's nature as they explosively erupt to the surface, as they tend to when people freed from all concepts of personal responsibility.
Stoic contains graphic violence and scenes of a disturbing and upsetting nature, however I must credit Dr. Boll for his restraint and sensitivity towards the subject matter here. It would've been all too easy to film Stoic as some sort of tacky exploitation/torture porn flick, using Mitch's suffering as entertainment for a horror audience. Instead, he gave us something entirely different - something that leaves the audience completely drained, numb with shock at the end and with little option but to sit and contemplate the events just witnessed (think Gaspar Noé's Irréversible or Takashi Miike's Audition for the effect I'm talking about). For that, I salute him.
If Uwe Boll is ever going to win an award (a good award, not a Razzie) for one of his movies, this will be the one.
A good watch
thirdeye552 July 2009
First off - before I get to the movie itself... I just wanted to speak to the morons who ALWAYS automatically vote 1 for everything Boll does - without even watching the damn movie. Its just a really childish and insanely stupid thing to do.
I personally have really enjoyed his past few films... you just never know what to expect when you sit down and watch a Uwe Boll movie and I commend that! In The Name of the King in particular for its insanely over-the-top obviously made to be laughed at entertainment. I mean really -- KING Burt Reynolds??? (best "last conversation before dying" scene I've ever watched... I laughed for like 15 minutes)... and a Ray Liotta Magi who constantly says the most hilarious stuff throughout the movie. And the choreography of the fight scenes was actually quite commendable (sadly not violent, but its all good) - anyways....
... and then Seed, Postal, Tunnel Rats (best war movie I've seen in years - phenomenal flick) --- all 3 are fantastic movies in their own right. Far Cry was god awful and so was Alone in the Dark 2 (sorry Uwe)
And then we have STOIC! - In the same dark/depressing vein that made Tunnel Rats such a kick ass movie... this thing takes you on a wild ride. A ride NOT for the squeamish to be more precise... and not for people who can only watch "Hollywood blockbuster" crap to be entertained. Thankyou to the other reviewer for this movie; I did not know most the movie was "improv" on the actors part and that's an incredibly awesome move on Bolls part to boot... gave the movie a feeling of reality you don't see much anymore. The last half hour in particular is some seriously intense stuff. The acting was also very good... after watching American History X like 19 times + Animal Factory (highly underrated movie), and of course Detroit Rock City + even Dark Reel was pretty damn entertaining... I've always really liked Furlong -- and I'm really happy to see him again in top form. The other actors too were excellent; especially Sam Levinson as the most sympathetic/remorseful of them all.
So go find this movie and watch it - then find Tunnel Rats and watch that... and then STOP giving this man the automatic 1's he does not deserve (except for maybe Far Cry... dude, that was just BAD)!!!
I personally have really enjoyed his past few films... you just never know what to expect when you sit down and watch a Uwe Boll movie and I commend that! In The Name of the King in particular for its insanely over-the-top obviously made to be laughed at entertainment. I mean really -- KING Burt Reynolds??? (best "last conversation before dying" scene I've ever watched... I laughed for like 15 minutes)... and a Ray Liotta Magi who constantly says the most hilarious stuff throughout the movie. And the choreography of the fight scenes was actually quite commendable (sadly not violent, but its all good) - anyways....
... and then Seed, Postal, Tunnel Rats (best war movie I've seen in years - phenomenal flick) --- all 3 are fantastic movies in their own right. Far Cry was god awful and so was Alone in the Dark 2 (sorry Uwe)
And then we have STOIC! - In the same dark/depressing vein that made Tunnel Rats such a kick ass movie... this thing takes you on a wild ride. A ride NOT for the squeamish to be more precise... and not for people who can only watch "Hollywood blockbuster" crap to be entertained. Thankyou to the other reviewer for this movie; I did not know most the movie was "improv" on the actors part and that's an incredibly awesome move on Bolls part to boot... gave the movie a feeling of reality you don't see much anymore. The last half hour in particular is some seriously intense stuff. The acting was also very good... after watching American History X like 19 times + Animal Factory (highly underrated movie), and of course Detroit Rock City + even Dark Reel was pretty damn entertaining... I've always really liked Furlong -- and I'm really happy to see him again in top form. The other actors too were excellent; especially Sam Levinson as the most sympathetic/remorseful of them all.
So go find this movie and watch it - then find Tunnel Rats and watch that... and then STOP giving this man the automatic 1's he does not deserve (except for maybe Far Cry... dude, that was just BAD)!!!
Uwe's best
mortiis33-130 August 2009
Okay - I know that 99.99% of the stupid internet population hates Uwe Boll, and I don't really like any of his previous attempts at film making either, but this film was a special case.
The acting in this film was top-notch (especially considering that most of the dialogue was not rehearsed!). I wish people would stop hating on Uwe Boll - he is a very confident film-maker who CAN obviously produce a hard-hitting and very emotional film when he wants to. I think that this film shows that 100%.
The only problem I had with the film was it's length - I wish that it had gone for longer, as it's 82 minutes did NOT seem long enough in my eyes.
The acting in this film was top-notch (especially considering that most of the dialogue was not rehearsed!). I wish people would stop hating on Uwe Boll - he is a very confident film-maker who CAN obviously produce a hard-hitting and very emotional film when he wants to. I think that this film shows that 100%.
The only problem I had with the film was it's length - I wish that it had gone for longer, as it's 82 minutes did NOT seem long enough in my eyes.
Powerful masterpiece
acetylcholinenjoyer10 September 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Just like Stanley Kubrick is very, very overrated, Uwe Boll is way underrated. Some people even dare to compare him with Ed Wood, when he was way more talented than hacks as Kubrick. I hate video-games, I never played video-games, but I always found the movies of Uwe Boll beautiful and inspired, so I guess that his movies are way better than the games in which they are inspired.
"Alone in the Dark" was a very suspenseful and stylish film. Also, it was scary, not like trash as "Cannibal Holocaust" or "The Shining".
"BloodRayne" was dark, stylish and sexy.
"In the Name of the king" was simply epic: Even when I have to admit that "The Lord of the Rings" films were good, I have to say that I liked this film more.
"Postal" was hilarious and satirical: The satire and the humor were way more accurate than "Doctor Strangelove". Also it was funnier.
"Stoic" was shocking and heartbreaking, much more than "A Clockwork Orange".
"1968 Tunnel Rats" was a better war film than "Full Metal Jacket".
As you see, Uwe Boll is way more talented than Kubrick. I just can't understand why there is so much hate against his films, he is one of the most talented filmmakers of our time.
"Alone in the Dark" was a very suspenseful and stylish film. Also, it was scary, not like trash as "Cannibal Holocaust" or "The Shining".
"BloodRayne" was dark, stylish and sexy.
"In the Name of the king" was simply epic: Even when I have to admit that "The Lord of the Rings" films were good, I have to say that I liked this film more.
"Postal" was hilarious and satirical: The satire and the humor were way more accurate than "Doctor Strangelove". Also it was funnier.
"Stoic" was shocking and heartbreaking, much more than "A Clockwork Orange".
"1968 Tunnel Rats" was a better war film than "Full Metal Jacket".
As you see, Uwe Boll is way more talented than Kubrick. I just can't understand why there is so much hate against his films, he is one of the most talented filmmakers of our time.
Incredible film. Powerful, poignant piece.
Mike_T-Little_Mtn_Sound_Archive6 March 2019
First off, I have grown tired of all the Uwe Boll hating on this site. No matter how prolific a Boll film is, the haters come out, as if looking for a reason to trash. Fear not...this movie is powerful whether the haters like it or not.
The acting is superb, the script equally so, and the direction absolutely stunning. The idea of a film taking place in a single room is not new (eg Closetland), but this semi-documentary style film takes to a new level. The miracle of the film is that it has four actors (and a couple extras), takes place in one room, and is riveting from start to finish. Many reviews bash this very thing, calling it slow, a bore, without feeling.... I'm not sure what film these people saw, but in my opinion this is one of the best profile pieces I've ever seen.
There's not a ton to say with giving away important pieces of the film, but suffice it to say that the allegorical content is striking, with each facet of the film's composition being equivalently well done.
This film is not for everybody. I would venture to say that those who enjoy it have a certain darkened inside them, or curiousity of darkness at minimum. The "happy-go-lucky" flower girl with ribbons in her hair will not likely enjoy this, as it is truly a powerful take on the desperation humanity is capable of.
One of Boll's best works, and the fact that the actors improvised the majority of their lines shows what can be done with a visionary director and a capable team of actors.
The acting is superb, the script equally so, and the direction absolutely stunning. The idea of a film taking place in a single room is not new (eg Closetland), but this semi-documentary style film takes to a new level. The miracle of the film is that it has four actors (and a couple extras), takes place in one room, and is riveting from start to finish. Many reviews bash this very thing, calling it slow, a bore, without feeling.... I'm not sure what film these people saw, but in my opinion this is one of the best profile pieces I've ever seen.
There's not a ton to say with giving away important pieces of the film, but suffice it to say that the allegorical content is striking, with each facet of the film's composition being equivalently well done.
This film is not for everybody. I would venture to say that those who enjoy it have a certain darkened inside them, or curiousity of darkness at minimum. The "happy-go-lucky" flower girl with ribbons in her hair will not likely enjoy this, as it is truly a powerful take on the desperation humanity is capable of.
One of Boll's best works, and the fact that the actors improvised the majority of their lines shows what can be done with a visionary director and a capable team of actors.
wow
skylerisaac13 May 2019
I never thought I'd see the day when I'd witness an Uwe Boll film that was not only competent, but compelling as well. This film is dark, and not for the faint of heart. It's not as horrific as films like Salo or A Serbian Film, but it's a taught and stressful experience nonetheless.
The cinematography is largely handheld, which helps add tension and convey the frantic and disturbing mood. Boll's direction is far more competent here than in any of his other films. The acting is very convincing, and watching Edward Furlong, the kid we all loved in T2 and Detroit Rock City, unleash his inner demon is a genuinely frightening thing to behold.
Unlike something like, say, A Serbian Film, Stoic has a message to it. It's not blatant exploitation for the sake of ruffling people's feathers. It'll make you think after the credits roll, and make you fear what horrific acts people are capable of committing with hardly any provocation.
They Need To Stop Giving Uwe Boll A Bad Name
redrobin62-321-20731121 February 2016
Warning: Spoilers
'Stoic' was just as intense an experience as any well-written psychological thriller Hollywood has produced. All of the characters were believable as was their dialogue. Things like this happen in prisons all around the world frequently; man's carnal instinct always comes to the fore when they're pressed against the rope.
It's probably a good thing this movie wasn't directed by someone like Marian Dora. The rape scenes, including the one with the broom handle, would probably cause some people to throw up or run for the exit because Dora's visuals can stun you to the core.
Uwe Boll has gotten a bad name because of some of the atrocities he's directed ('Alone In The Dark', 'Postal', etc). Since 'Stoic' was written, produced and directed by Boll, it deserves more than just a handful of screenings internationally. I'm guessing, and I'm probably right, that people like Steven King, Steven Spielberg, James Patterson or Michael Schiffer would say that Mr. Boll did this prison drama film right on the money.
It's probably a good thing this movie wasn't directed by someone like Marian Dora. The rape scenes, including the one with the broom handle, would probably cause some people to throw up or run for the exit because Dora's visuals can stun you to the core.
Uwe Boll has gotten a bad name because of some of the atrocities he's directed ('Alone In The Dark', 'Postal', etc). Since 'Stoic' was written, produced and directed by Boll, it deserves more than just a handful of screenings internationally. I'm guessing, and I'm probably right, that people like Steven King, Steven Spielberg, James Patterson or Michael Schiffer would say that Mr. Boll did this prison drama film right on the money.
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