#45 Apt Pupil

Apt Pupil has the capability to disturb. In some instances, such as with Schindler's List and Happiness, saying this about a movie is the highest possible compliment. In this case, however, it is not well-meant. Apt Pupil offends because of the exploitative manner in which it addresses Holocaust- related themes. The main character in this film, a grizzled old man named Kurt Dussander (Ian McKellan), is an ex-Gestapo officer hiding out in a suburban American neighborhood. Dussander is a caricature of Nazi evil - a one dimensional creature who is meant to be the embodiment of villainy. He's as ghastly as a werewolf or a vampire in any horror tale. To emphasize this point, the movie does the unforgivable - it tantalizes us with too-obvious Holocaust imagery (Dussander attempting to throw a cat into a lit oven, then later fanatically marching around his kitchen in a Nazi uniform) that serves no purpose other than to generate antipathy for the bad guy. The way Apt Pupil appropriates one of the century's greatest tragedies for such dubious means is more than a little distasteful.

If the approach to the Holocaust was the film's only flaw, it might make for a serviceable thriller, but there are other, equally serious problems. Most obviously, the plot is derailed by the use of two implausible contrivances. The first is that a high school student, Todd Bowen (Brad Renfro), can uncover Dussander's identity after a worldwide manhunt failed. The second is that, once Bowen decides to use the information to blackmail Dussander rather than turning him in, the former mass-murderer meekly submits. And his eventual method of fighting back is tenuously credible at best.

Ostensibly, Apt Pupil is a study of the nature of evil. Bowen uses his knowledge to "encourage" Dussander to tell him stories about the atrocities that occurred during the second World War. He listens, fascinated, to these tales of horror, absorbing everything like a sponge. Gradually, his personality undergoes a transformation and he begins to exhibit some of the same characteristics as his mentor. Had the film's plot been more believable, and had the characters been better-defined, this might have represented fascinating material. Unfortunately, Dussander is evil personified (he experiences no doubts or qualms of conscience about his past) and Bowen is bland. Devil's Advocate did this story with a lot more color and imagination.

Part of the reason for Bowen's lack of appeal is that actor Brad Renfro (the young lead in The Client) fails to infuse his character with the necessary energy. This is in stark contrast to Ian McKellan, who is wonderful (albeit a little over-the-top). However, even though McKellan offers a brilliant performance that may earn him recognition in the Oscar nomination race, Dussander is not his most memorable part of the year - that status belongs to old-time movie director James Whale, whom McKellan plays in Gods and Monsters.

Perhaps the most disappointing thing about Apt Pupil is the lack of sustained tension generated by director Bryan Singer. One of the hallmarks of Singer's previous film, The Usual Suspects, is that it keeps viewers on the edges of their seats for the duration. That's not the case here. It's difficult to determine whether the problem lies more with Singer's approach or with his choice of material. I suppose we'll have to wait for his next film to determine whether Apt Pupil or The Usual Suspects is the aberration.

In general, Stephen King stories inspire one of two kinds of films. The first group, which focuses on the macabre and horrific, is populated by movies that vary from mediocre to unwatchable. The second, which includes the likes of Stand by Me and The Shawshank Redemption, and is about the normal demons that we all face, has some top-notch entries. In many ways, Apt Pupil looks like it could have had the potential to fashion a bridge between these two King camps (sort of like Misery). Unfortunately, while the story may steer clear of the supernatural, the picture's lackluster nature keeps it manacled alongside The Mangler and Sleepwalkers.