REVIEW: THE DEPARTED

Martin Scorsese is nothing less than an artistically brilliant director. He paints his stories (his movies) with every sense of artistic excellence. From the cinematography, editing, costume design, musical score, sound, visual effects, and even the actors themselves you are astounded by the fact that every frame of his films are set-up to mean or say something in the most excellent and meaningful of ways. The problem then does not exist in his near perfect execution, but in the story and themes are the result of it. Mr. Scorcese has proven time and time again that his films are a feast for the eyes, yet at what cost to the sensibilities of the audience watching? He continues to show us the depravity of man in every visceral and self-indulgent way, yet where has he left the hope that only the light can bring to the darkness in our hearts, obviously he has left it on the cutting room floor. It would have been easy to make The Departed an even greater and more excellent film, simply by cutting down the intoxicating vulgarity, and giving the main characters the opportunity to examine their immoral, pitiful, ugly, and sinful lives in a more objectible and thought provoking way. Don't mistake my objections for denying a filmakers right to show human depravity because I think nothing of the sort. I have no problem whatsoever for filmakers to show the depravity of man. Just look at films like Unforgiven, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, and The Godfather. All three films shows human sin at its worst, but they also show the consequece of such actions, and how it destroys the characters and their lives in the end. These films question the result of doing what is morally objectable, where as the characters in The Departed seem to throw it on the ground as if it is worth nothing to them. Even the Bible shows us mans depravity of light through sin, but it never fails to show us that this depravity is the direct result of rebellion from God, of which the consequence is death unless redeemed through the blood of Christ. When it comes down to it, it is our free will, the choices that we make that determine the consequences of every one of our actions. Martin Scorcese is a master at showing us the darkness in the everyday lives of men and women, but when you stay in darkness for so long, how can you ever experience the warmth and the brightness that only moments in the light can bring.

GRADE: B+

RECOMMENDED: With EXTREME caution for high usage of F-Bombs and other vulgarities, several occurences of violence, and some sensuality.