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Apt Pupil
1998 107 min France, United States of America R 16+
★6.5
Drama, Thriller
Director: Bryan Singer
🎭 Based on
«Apt Pupil»
byStephen King
Trailers
Description
One day in 1984, Todd Bowden, a brilliant high school boy fascinated by the history of Nazism, stumbles across an old man whose appearance resembles that of Kurt Dussander, a wanted Nazi war criminal. A month later, Todd decides to knock on his door.
Budget:
$14M
US Gross:
$8.86M
Worldwide:
$8.86M
Starring
Ian McKellen
Actor
Brad Renfro
Actor
Joshua Jackson
Actor
Awards
Saturn Awards 1999
— Best Horror Film
Saturn Awards 1999
— Best Supporting Actor
Saturn Awards 1999
— Best Director
Saturn Awards 1999
— Best Screenplay
Saturn Awards 1999
— Best Supporting Actor
Key opinion
Apt Pupil is a dark psychological thriller that succeeds as an intense exploration of intergenerational corruption and the banality of evil. While the central performances are widely praised, opinions diverge sharply regarding the director's tonal choices and the effectiveness of the film's climactic ending compared to its source material.
| Acting | Ian McKellen delivers a chilling and terrifying performance as the dormant Nazi war criminal. | |
| Acting | Brad Renfro provides a compelling and mature portrayal of a youth descending into psychopathy. | |
| Theme | The film offers a deeply unsettling and thought-provoking examination of how cruelty can be transferred between individuals. | |
| Ending | The film is criticized for a lackluster, overblown, or hollow ending that fails to match the narrative weight of Stephen King's novella. | |
| Pacing | Viewers are divided on the pacing; some find the slow-burn, atmospheric buildup gripping, while others characterize it as dragging or lacking necessary intensity. | |
| Originality | The inclusion of homoerotic subtext and nudity is a point of contention, with some finding it an unnecessary distraction from the core narrative. |