Nothing's Changed. Happens Today. Nobody Learns. Ban Guns.

10/10

I'd forgotten the Port Arthur Massacre under the deluge of similar events here in the US.

I knew from the beginning of the film what Nitram was going to do, very obvious to me, uncontrollable rage from the very beginning. Nitram looks like Martin (because it is), the fictional name is backwards because he is backwards.

I have no problem with films portraying killers as human beings, because they are human beings. The notion that "it's humanizing him" is an issue is remarkably stupid to me.

My understanding is in real life the perpetrator had an IQ of +-66 and suffered years, at least a decade, of bullying. I think the bullying is clear in the movie, the extent of mental disability and illness, less so. Additionally, we get a good sense of the parenting environment but only a taste of the medical response to the situation and no response to his developmental disability.

In Nitram we are shown a man clearly mentally unstable, a challenge for his parents and a danger to all around him.

There is no glory whatsoever in this portrayal. The massacre is offscreen, and not shown as anything that would bring pleasure or pride to anyone.

The film goes further than depicting lack of gun control. This person was evidently in need of medical assistance. But he could not find any guidance or help there because his mother controlled everything. Finally left by himself, he developed horrid ideas (after listening to television news report about a mass shooting in England). The availability of guns makes his idea achievable.

It is the combination of both a failing mental health system and gun availability that leads to disaster here.