3. Elephant
Fine Line FeaturesA film about a school shooting is always going to attract controversy, particularly as Elephant was based on the infamous Columbine massacre as part of Gus Van Sants Death Trilogy, which is about as cheery as it sounds. Despite this, Elephants long and unflinching shots are combined with snappy dark humour, which thankfully helps to break the intensity that the film holds. We are shown the shooters fairly quickly. Alex and Eric are being bullied by the jocks in the class with spitballs and the like. With this introduced, we see them buying weapons online and receiving a rifle in the post. Whats interesting and quite frightening, in both this film and apparently real-life, is the ease with which these kids got their guns. Whilst Elephant doesnt make a song-and-dance out of any part of the shooting, anyone getting hardcore weapons that easily is pretty jarring to watch. Alex and Eric rig up parts of the school with propane bombs which then fail, so they start shooting at random upon staff and students alike. The effect is merciless. They begin the attack together, and then split up covering more ground, shooting everybody as they go. The film ends without resolution and without retribution, and is astoundingly haunting and beautiful for it.