Nonureva Really Surprised!

Platicsco Good story, Not enough for a whole film

BelSports This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Hayden Kane There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews I haven't read the novel, and if it's comparable to this, I have no intention of doing so. My father purchased this for me, on account of the name attached to it. I had never heard of it, and it's not surprising that this was pretty forgotten. It's uncompromising, that's for sure. However, it really doesn't "work" on us. We're not that engaged. This borders on propaganda for the death penalty and for the idea of some people just being "evil", or "bad seeds". Everything that Panzram is seen doing in this can be explained through psychology, even if his actions are not exactly admirable. When we first see Woods, he's mugging in extremis; this he fortunately stops, and gradually, we do come to understand him. His guard, too. Those are about it. Everyone else is there either to provide opposition, or because they were in real life. The only characters we get are a hateful one and a seemingly naive one(certainly by this movie's logic). Well, the Irishman is interesting enough. The acting is good. Editing and cinematography are average. This is close to being pure emotional porn for those who read/watch stories about serial killers. There is a lot of strong language, a bit of brutal, bloody violence and disturbing content including a rape in this. I recommend this to those who catch all of these, and big fans of James. 6/10

haildevilman Carl Panzram was a viscous creep with a real life bite-your-face-off attitude. Woods played him to smithereens.Sure he overacted a bit, but Panzram was not the most laid-back guy.The problem with this film is that it couldn't decide if it was a character study or a condemnation of prison conditions. They also managed to throw in religious bigotry and left-wing politics. It did it better than some films would have, but the ending left too much open.Woods owned the film. He had Carl as both Genius and loose cannon. The real Panzram was similar. And many quotes contributed to him are scattered about the film. ("I wish you all had one neck..." "I could hang a dozen men...") Leonard did an adequate job as Henry Lesser but played him a bit to "nice." Most of the guards kept their distance from ol' Carl. With good reason too.Woods fans see this now. Anyone else...your call.

gridoon The Australian biopic "Chopper" got all the hype in 2000, but the much lesser-known " A Journal of Murder" is actually a better film on a similar subject. For one thing, it gives you more of a background about (if not much more insight into) the killer, and for another it doesn't try to make him appear "cool". In fact, the script is quite uncompromising in the way it refuses to humanize Panzram, at least beyond the minimum degree required. But despite Woods' strong performance and a few nice directorial touches (especially in the use of black-and-white cinematography and newsreels from the period), the film is rather flat - almost like a TV production. (**1/2)

Kataten James Woods is again at his best in this very interesting and captivating movie of one mans flight through life, comes to the sad ending he always thought he deserved. Befriended by only two people in his life, he truly had a heart under what everyone believed to be plain meanness.