So daring film for its time.

Talking about hard hitting issues such as society's desensitization to violence and the unavoidable role that media has played in it. Spectacle of the violence and the violent ones brings the views, the clicks, the attention, the money, but only if it's framed right. This surrealist masterpiece takes us out of that comfort zone from which we could consume violence safely, it shows us the glimpses of its true cost, that consequences of violence are secondary to the consumer, shows us that the lines between the reality and the media produced spectacles don't exist, and that the media universe has entirely blended in with its once object of reporting. The scene where the journalist starts killing himself is so full of symbolism; it should be absolutely clear that media aren't just a neutral observers and messengers, they create what we perceive as reality.

Watching this film I couldn't help but think about Jean Baudrillard's theory of hyperreal, of the real that's more real that reality itself, and of his essential "The Gulf war didn't take place". War propaganda and highly organised media hype gushing for war, especially in the USA, are topics that are unfortunately becoming increasingly more relevant today, and the mainstream media's role, the CNN, Fox, MSNBC, NYT, WP, of being almost more blood-thirsty than fricking Pentagon generals is the phenomenon which must not be overlooked.

I have to say.......at first I wasn't enjoying this film and then it just clicked what this film is trying to show/do and I fell in love with it. Natural Born Killers is the lesser of the Tarantino written but not directed films, but it still is great as it shows this really damaged couple go place to place and kill lots of people, during this film you learn why they both became this way but it also shows the obsession we all have with serial killers and is more relevant than ever in my opinion.

The cast in this film are next level as Woody Harrelson (Mickey Knox) shows why he is one of the best, Juliette Lewis (Mallory Knox) is an actress who I think is very hit or miss but this is a big hit, Robert Downey Jr. (Wayne Gale) is bonkers in this and Tommy Lee Jones (Warden Dwight McClusky) is just chefs kiss.

Now I don't know how much survived from the original script but I do feel if Tarantino directed this it would have been better as I don't think Oliver Stone is the best pick for a film like this, but I have to say this film is so creative and it is definitely a story that I have never seen before (maybe a modern Bonnie and Clyde if you stretch).

I say give it a watch but also give it a chance cause I feel like people switch off too quick with this because it isn't a conventional film.