FREAK FILMS: CHOPPER

I picked this DVD up for the sole purpose of checking out the acting chops of the guy who will be playing the Hulk in the upcoming film by Ang Lee. I liked Eric Bana's performance in Black Hawk Down, but it was just a small sampling of Bana's talent. In Chopper he takes the lead role to become Mark "Chopper" Read. The film is a biography of sorts of the real Mark Read, a notorious Australian criminal who sent the local media into a frenzy with his violent antics. What he lacked in criminal savvy he made up for with charm and ferocity, which is documented in his best-selling book, How to Shoot Friends and Influence People. Directed by Andrew Dominic, the film gives the audience a colorful fly-on-the-wall view of Chopper's quest for criminal credibility and fame. To call this film violent is almost an understatement; it's so brutal that it's comical. It's not comedy slapstick violence; it's real, grotesque, and happens so abruptly that it shocks you into nervous laughter, all while creeping you out because it's true. It also gives insight into Chopper's version of the story and what really happened. Bana's performance lets you see the gears turning in Chopper's head, as he goes from methodical to maniacal in the blink of an eye. Rarely do we see an on-screen killer run the gamut of emotions as you will with Bana's portrayal. This DVD is also no slouch in the special features section, giving you not only a running commentary with the real Chopper Read, but a mini-documentary featuring a "Weekend with Chopper" and "Eric Bana meets Mark "Chopper" Read”. Those two items are well worth the $20 to add this juicy morsel to your collection.