The Cover

The film Chopper is an attempt to present the very colorful (and often contradictory) world that Read established in his books. The film allows Read to be unapologetic about some of the crimes that he has committed, instead focusing on the nature of the situations led him down such a path. He explains away every shotgun blast, every fight and knifing as though he's a victim of circumstance. And even if you know it's not true, you can't help believe him. As played by Eric Bana, this is one criminal that you would probably like to go have a beer with at the pub, even if it meant that the possibility was great that he would shoot you in the face. He really does have such a magnetic personality that even the police and wardens in the movie are drawn to him, and enjoy hearing his excuses about all the crimes that he's committed.

The first great element of Chopper is the writing and directing, which provide a very subjective point of memory and truth, very reminiscent of Memento. We'll see one of Chopper's infamous exploits from a seemingly objective point of view, only to revise his story as he begins to tell it more. The directing too supports this rather contradictory view by presenting such over the top occurrences, that it's hard to determine if it really happened or not. Read aks another inmate to chop his ears off as he sits on a chair grinning, yelling and bleeding all over the place.

Read is such a larger-than-life character, that it would take someone equally large to portray him. Luckily, Erica Bana is up to the challenge. Best know for his turn as Bruce Banner in Hulk, it was Chopper which really caught the eye of many stateside Hollywood types. And it's quite easy to see why. Bana inhabits the role so completely, that you forget the actor. It's a very similar performance to Charlize Theron's Monster, in more ways then one. Bana is alternatively ripped and chubby, his body covered in tattoos; busted, missing and golden teeth shining through his mouth. His swagger is that of a con, his manner of speech and the way that he cocks his head just so.

I'd be afraid of Bana if I was to run into him on the street. Best of all though, Bana sells the idea of this movie completely - that all truth is subjective, and that you better stay out of the Chopper's way.

Movie Grade: A

Video: 2 out of 5
It's hard to determine how much of the look of the transfer is purposeful. Given that it was an Australian production, the video has that infamous PAL softness. Sometimes, it's enough to be distracting. In this same way, the colors are desaturated and light, it's obviously purposeful at points, but at others I'm not so sure.
Widescreen Anamorphic - 1.85:1

Bana shoots his mouth (and gun) off.

Audio: 4 out of 5
There's a surprising amount of audio options. Of course, the best track is the DTS presentation, but given the rather minimal amount of usage, it doesn't matter that much.
English (DTS and Dolby 5.1)

Extras: 3 out of 5
The most significant extra is the home video footage of Chopper Read, Eric Bana and the director sitting around and bullshitting. Is it any surprise that Read is one hell of a storyteller? All told, about 30 minutes of footage. The commentary by Read and the director is enlightening, as Read gives his take (again) on most of the major events in the film.

Overall: 3.5 out of 5
Chopper is a violent, gritty and dark movie that often borders on the comedic. It's a perfect fit for anyone looking to tackle something challenging. And of course, see for yourself why given the right circumstances, Erica Bana could be a superstar.

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