Click - The greatest horror movie ever made? *spoilers*

Belmit · 02-11-2007, 00:01

Just caught this on Sky, and feel quite drained (in a good way).

For those that haven't seen it, or as a recap for those that have, it's the one where Adam Sandler gets a remote control and is able to control his universe. I would say I'm pretty much an Adam Sandler fan so I thought I knew pretty much what the humour and tone would be like, and for the first half I got what I was expecting; immature but well presented jokes based on drugs, boobs, farts and dogs humping soft toys.

It was likeable (especially with Christopher Walken hamming it up, and clearly loving it) and the foundations were well-laid with gentle humour and some pathos. I belly-laughed a good few times. The predictable discovery and abuse of the remote control's functions was starting to wear thin when all of a sudden the film took quite a dramatic turn.

Sandler's character chooses to skip ahead to the point where he achieves promotion, and it turns out to be a whole year later. Suddenly you realise that he can't go back, he can only rewatch the life that he's supposedly 'lived'. In other words, he's a year older and can't change what's already happened. Unfortunately, the year he's skipped is a year that he's missed his kids growing up, his wife starting to fall out of love with him due to his pursuit of glory at work, and the death of the family dog. The realisation that this is a one-way trip is suddenly a horrible and depressing notion. It's clear he's been neglecting of his family life, although at this point it still feels pretty clichéd, like yet another modern day retelling of A Christmas Carol.

Then it starts to get really sinister. The remote has a kind of artificial intelligence that remembers the kind of things he likes to skip; things that seemed not to matter before like taking a shower, having an argument, being ill, and most importantly the time passing between promotions.

All of a sudden another ten years have passed and he's moved up in the company. His kids have issues, his wife has left him and he's now about 400 pounds from eating junk. He can't go back and change things, but he also can't stop the remote auto-fastforwarding at inopportune times. Sometimes he only gets glimpses of the horrible life he's led, and in those moments he isn't the man living that life, he's just someone looking in and taking control every now and then. But what control? He doesn't know what's happened in all those years that have passed, only the terrible, confusing consequences. Eventually, after missing years from getting a blow on the head, followed by cancer treatment (the remote skips through all illnesses), he has a heart attack at his son's wedding; the only happy event that he's seen since that first year skipped by.

It was at this point that I realised I hadn't moved, or laughed for the last half an hour. This was just the most horrible story I'd ever seen, and was totally transfixed. It was brilliant. The part where he goes back to the last time he saw his father was moving and frustrating, and the final bit where he tears himself out of the hospital bed an aged, dying man and goes after his family as a last ditch attempt to put things right practically had me in a mess of tears. If they'd have ended the film there and then, this might have been one of my favourite movies of all time. It was like a Philip K. Dick short story, but with a beginning that lulled you into a false sense of security with its whimsy.

Sadly, the character wakes up in the store where he first bought the remote and it was all a dream. A changed man, he returns home to live the life he should have led, only to be offered the remote one last time. He declines.

When I watch this again I'm going to turn it off with three minutes to go, because that should have been the real story.

Kell_ee001 · 02-11-2007, 00:30

I saw this ages when I simply had nothing else to watch and a mate brought it round, but you[ve summed it up brilliantly from what I remember. It really was a shocking and unexpected twist, but very good I must say

divine · 02-11-2007, 00:41

Saw it at the flicks and watched it again last week on DVD round a mates house.

I laughed at the end the second time round because i knew what was coming and the girls started crying

Desmo · 02-11-2007, 16:23

Yeah, it really is a strange ending...moving...but strange for the type of film I thought it was going to be...a comedy. I'm not sure why...I started putting three dots...in my sentences at the most...inopportune mome....nts...but I liked it at the....time...!

leowyatt · 02-11-2007, 17:08

We both really liked it too a great film.

Belmit · 06-01-2008, 19:36

This is on tonight on Sky channel 303 for anyone that wants to see it.

8pm I think.

02-11-2007, 00:01	#1
Belmit The Mouse King of Denmark Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: The Winchester Posts: 6,476	Click - The greatest horror movie ever made? spoilers Just caught this on Sky, and feel quite drained (in a good way). For those that haven't seen it, or as a recap for those that have, it's the one where Adam Sandler gets a remote control and is able to control his universe. I would say I'm pretty much an Adam Sandler fan so I thought I knew pretty much what the humour and tone would be like, and for the first half I got what I was expecting; immature but well presented jokes based on drugs, boobs, farts and dogs humping soft toys. It was likeable (especially with Christopher Walken hamming it up, and clearly loving it) and the foundations were well-laid with gentle humour and some pathos. I belly-laughed a good few times. The predictable discovery and abuse of the remote control's functions was starting to wear thin when all of a sudden the film took quite a dramatic turn. Sandler's character chooses to skip ahead to the point where he achieves promotion, and it turns out to be a whole year later. Suddenly you realise that he can't go back, he can only rewatch the life that he's supposedly 'lived'. In other words, he's a year older and can't change what's already happened. Unfortunately, the year he's skipped is a year that he's missed his kids growing up, his wife starting to fall out of love with him due to his pursuit of glory at work, and the death of the family dog. The realisation that this is a one-way trip is suddenly a horrible and depressing notion. It's clear he's been neglecting of his family life, although at this point it still feels pretty clichéd, like yet another modern day retelling of A Christmas Carol. Then it starts to get really sinister. The remote has a kind of artificial intelligence that remembers the kind of things he likes to skip; things that seemed not to matter before like taking a shower, having an argument, being ill, and most importantly the time passing between promotions. All of a sudden another ten years have passed and he's moved up in the company. His kids have issues, his wife has left him and he's now about 400 pounds from eating junk. He can't go back and change things, but he also can't stop the remote auto-fastforwarding at inopportune times. Sometimes he only gets glimpses of the horrible life he's led, and in those moments he isn't the man living that life, he's just someone looking in and taking control every now and then. But what control? He doesn't know what's happened in all those years that have passed, only the terrible, confusing consequences. Eventually, after missing years from getting a blow on the head, followed by cancer treatment (the remote skips through all illnesses), he has a heart attack at his son's wedding; the only happy event that he's seen since that first year skipped by. It was at this point that I realised I hadn't moved, or laughed for the last half an hour. This was just the most horrible story I'd ever seen, and was totally transfixed. It was brilliant. The part where he goes back to the last time he saw his father was moving and frustrating, and the final bit where he tears himself out of the hospital bed an aged, dying man and goes after his family as a last ditch attempt to put things right practically had me in a mess of tears. If they'd have ended the film there and then, this might have been one of my favourite movies of all time. It was like a Philip K. Dick short story, but with a beginning that lulled you into a false sense of security with its whimsy. Sadly, the character wakes up in the store where he first bought the remote and it was all a dream. A changed man, he returns home to live the life he should have led, only to be offered the remote one last time. He declines. When I watch this again I'm going to turn it off with three minutes to go, because that should have been the real story. __________________

02-11-2007, 00:30	#2
Kell_ee001 Wants Big Meat Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newcastle Posts: 6,478	I saw this ages when I simply had nothing else to watch and a mate brought it round, but you[ve summed it up brilliantly from what I remember. It really was a shocking and unexpected twist, but very good I must say __________________

02-11-2007, 00:41	#3
divine Moonshine Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Southampton Posts: 3,201	Saw it at the flicks and watched it again last week on DVD round a mates house. I laughed at the end the second time round because i knew what was coming and the girls started crying __________________

02-11-2007, 17:08	#5
leowyatt Chef extraordinaire Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Infinite Loop Posts: 11,143	We both really liked it too a great film. __________________ "Dr Sheldon Cooper FTW!"

06-01-2008, 19:36	#6
Belmit The Mouse King of Denmark Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: The Winchester Posts: 6,476	This is on tonight on Sky channel 303 for anyone that wants to see it. 8pm I think. __________________

02-11-2007, 16:23	#4
Desmo The Last Airbender Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Pigmopad Posts: 11,915	Yeah, it really is a strange ending...moving...but strange for the type of film I thought it was going to be...a comedy. I'm not sure why...I started putting three dots...in my sentences at the most...inopportune mome....nts...but I liked it at the....time...!