The movie, Raging Bull directed by Martin Scorsese was an intense film during specific scenes but was unable to keep my attention. The movie was mainly about the life of boxer Jake LaMotta. It went through LaMotta’s (The Raging Bull) fights and personal life, mostly consisting of nasty fights with his wives and friends/relatives. The story line was okay, but I wasn’t left too impressed. I was mostly left angry at Robert De Niro, who played the part of The Raging Bull. I was left angered at how ‘instantly’ fat he became towards the end of the film and how mentally and emotionally unstable his character was throughout the movie. I was hoping for some sort of reconciliation with reality for the Bull, or some sort of change of lifestyle, perhaps a realization of how completely awful he was to everyone and how his entire life was a testimony of the selfishness and pride that consumed him. However, I was left feeling uneasy, like he hadn’t changed at all. The only time I felt a little hopeful, that there could possibly be a renewal of the Bull’s mindset, was when he was thrown into prison and was pitching a fit, pounding his head and fists against the wall. However, at the end of the film, he was back where he began; working for himself, convincing himself that he was better than anyone else. I felt as if the movie was a long sequence of fights, verbal and physical, and mental instability.
Although I did not enjoy the story line, I thought the acting was great. If Robert De Niro was able to play a part convincingly enough to actually get me angry and frustrated at Robert De Niro himself, not just the character he was playing, I’d say that his acting was pretty influential. I also was impressed with the editing and particular shots that they used throughout the film. The shots that stood out to me the most were the shots during the actual boxing scenes. The use of slow motion, close ups and different camera angles created some very realistic and gruesome fighting scenes. Nevertheless, other than the acting and camera work, I wasn’t impressed with the story line which resulted in causing me to be distracted and withdrawn throughout the entire film.