THX 1138

I just saw the movie THX 1138. Unless you are a nerd, like me, let me explain. This was one of George Lucas' first movies. Based off of a movie he made while in film school. It was released in 1971 and stars a very young Robert Duvall (Not sure why, but the whole time I pictured him telling Tom Cruise, "There is only so much I can do with a race car.")

Strange movie. Bears a striking resemblance to the movie "The Island". Just another proof that nobody has any original ideas anymore. THX is based in this stale all white underground building where the people are constantly monitored and given medications that keep them from feeling or thinking for themselves in order to be controlled and forced to build a robot police force. The Robert Duvall character stops taking the medication, realizes there is more to life than this, and tries to escape. He ends up being thrown into a prison with no walls, just an endless sea of whiteness. The rest of the move is him running through this world of whiteness looking for a way out.

Not exactly sure what George Lucas was trying to say with this movie. Maybe it was just that we have become a non-feeling, emotionless, blank society that needs to find a way to escape. Maybe it represents a deeper search for meaning or even for God, which is represented by a vague video of a picture of Christ with some prerecorded comforting sayings.

If you are looking for an interesting yet very slow movie with some thought provoking social commentary then check it out.