Carnage

Closer était une pièce de théâtre adaptée à l’écran, c’est-à-dire traduite en langage filmique. Par contraste, Carnage est une pièce de théâtre en l’état, filmée et montée de sorte qu’elle fonctionne à l’écran. Les acteurs de théâtre ne peuvent pas compter uniquement sur leurs expressions faciales (que les spectateurs ne voient pas de loin) et doivent, par conséquent, surjouer – ils accentuent leur gestuelle et élèvent la voix. Carnage ne traduit pas la pièce originale en langage filmique et se contente de filmer statiquement l’action pour l’écran (notamment en montrant les visages de près). Il n’est donc pas étonnant que certains disent que ce film n’a pas de raison d’être. Mais pour moi, ce film n’est pas futile, et cela pour deux raisons : 1. Même si on a l’occasion de voir la pièce au théâtre, il est peu probable que ce soit avec ces quatre acteurs-là ; 2. Regarder ce super-quatuor d’acteurs en sachant qu’ils se feraient un plaisir de jouer pour Polanski même sans exiger de cachet est pour moi un privilège. (28/01/2012)

Polanski et al. have the misfortune that I saw Carnage at the theatre. There, it made me almost die in laughter, at the cinema, however, I smirked amusingly here and there (mostly over Christoph Waltz’s smirks) and laughed (reminiscing the theatre play). It’s a good film, no doubt, with good performances and direction, but I can’t avoid being disappointed, even though I’m rationally aware that comparing a theatre play with a film is stupid. Though in this case is not that stupid actually, because you can really see the theatrical origin of the film… Some lines are clearly not uttered by a normal film character, but very “theatrically” by a character in a play. (29/12/2011)

Good dialogues are a good foundation of a high-quality dialogue-based movie. The premise itself takes the lead role here – it’s incredibly original – and the actors are doing such a great job it seems they loved the premise as well. My personal favorite was Christopher Waltz and his incredibly arrogant lawyer. Nevertheless, I believe that different viewers will fall for different characters. This movie literally lives and dies with the actors and I believe that a stage play with good actors could yield the same result. (24/11/2015)

A decent short conversational film with excellent actors and a stifling atmosphere that will make couples laugh. It could have been funnier, but it didn't offend. Christoph Waltz excels again. 65%. (06/11/2017)

What Polanski gains with Waltz's smirk or Winslet's unobservable expression, is destroyed by the overburned premise that could not work fully outside the theater. All the coming out of doors and calling the elevator is too stupidly unnecessary in the first half, when it is absolutely clear that it will lead to nothing and everything returns to the two rooms with incomprehensibly violent tricks. Without the convulsive lacing of the plot in one place, the sad irony with directly corrosive satire at its heart would work much better, like this the massacre only hints at. (16/02/2012)

Apparently, it doesn't take much to make a good and interesting film. And it doesn't need to burn either a budget or time. One apartment, four people, and well-written dialogue, where you know where it’s going but you still enjoy it. I was expecting a slightly different ending, God knows why, but I'm certainly not complaining. Pretty good, a strong 3.5 stars. (07/12/2020)

In life, we put on various masks and suppress our emotions and instincts in order to avoid confrontation with our surroundings and not jeopardize our interests and social status. Only in exceptional cases do we take off the masks and reveal our inner selves. In Carnage, this happened to four participants of a meeting that was supposed to serve as a reconciliation. However, vanity, anger, and alcohol led to the abandonment of the civilizational shell and exposed what we usually hide from our surroundings. Carnage is a black comedy about what happens to people when they lose control and become dangerously honest. It would probably be more suitable for theater stages, where it ultimately belongs, but Roman Polanski managed to gather four top actors in a small space, and thus the theater layout doesn't really matter. I had a great time, and as I think about it, it's actually a pity to originally give it 4 stars, so I'm adding a fifth one. Especially considering the two ladies who thoroughly enjoyed playing their hysterical and poser characters. Overall impression: 90%. (31/10/2016)

It’s straightforward, simple conversational theater translated to the screen. And yet excellent. A good text and four confident actors are all you need. The movie theater roared with laughter throughout the screening, because where else will we all see ourselves other than in stereotypes of arguments and gender wars? Nothing about it is perfect, nothing is convincing and it’s full of acting mannerisms, but it is really nice. Where else can one you Kate Winslet puking all over the screen? That’s definitely included. It's just too bad that Julie Adams from Creature from the Black Lagoon has only a tiny cameo here. (22/03/2012)

A perfect film where all four actors give perfect performances. You know what I Carnage probably reminded me the most? The good old Czechoslovak TV plays, which also needed so "little" to take your breath away. (17/01/2013)

J'aurais probablement été enthousiaste si je n’avais pas déjà vu ce superbe dialogue interprété en direct il y a quelques mois au Club dramatique. Comparé à la pièce, le film paraît aride, contenu et inexpressif. Au théâtre, les incessants coups de fil étaient juste parfaits au point de susciter des vagues de rire à chaque fois. Par contre, dans le film, c'était plutôt perturbant, même si Christoph Waltz donne le meilleur de lui-même comme à son habitude. Certaines pièces de théâtre devraient se passer d’une adaptation cinématographique, même si ce sont un réalisateur et des acteurs compétents qui s’en chargent. (21/02/2012)

The theater play has made it to the big screen. It's nothing unusual, it has happened often in the past. For example, classic Universal horror movies were originally theater plays. "God of Carnage" is a new play that I had the chance to see on stage. I still remember it. Roman Polanski didn't do anything else but transfer the play to the screen. He managed with only four characters and created a drama that criticizes society, our dependence on communication technologies, and our inability to communicate. The performances are great, you can't find fault with them, but it is still mainly a theater play that doesn't bring anything new in its film adaptation. On the other hand, the performance is more magical in the theater, especially when half of the audience in České Budějovice was right on the stage. In the movie, it's just a repeated experience that doesn't stand out in any significant way, but it also doesn't disappoint. More: http://www.filmovy-denik.cz/2012/04/diar-milovnika-filmu-c-0004-hugo-buh.html (15/02/2013)