Home » Film & TV » Film Studies » O Equals Good Violence

O Equals Good Violence

© Lisa Marie Cramer

In the past few years Shakespeare has come back in style. First Baz Luhrman’s ROMEO AND JULIET, a contemporary set HAMLET, 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU, LOVE’S LABOR LOST, and now O. O stands for Odin James, whose character is better known as Othello. It was filmed two years ago, and was denied release after the media frenzy over violence in schools.

As you may already know, O is one of Shakespeare’s tragedies, which means everyone dies at the end. Odin (Mekhi Phifer) is the star of his all-white prep school, the leader of the basketball team, and he’s dating the school’s beauty, Desi (Julia Stiles, SAVE THE LAST DANCE). Somber on the sidelines sits Hugo (Josh Harnett of THE FACULTY and PEARL HARBOR), jealous of O’s attention. Even Hugo’s own father, the school’s basketball coach (played by Martin Sheen) is in awe of O, while Hugo is ignored time and again. Hugo devises a plan to manipulate O into thinking Desi is sleeping with O’s best friend. O is unable to confront Desi about it and so he tortures himself by wondering. Hugo then sets a situation where O is given the proof he needs. And jealousy drives him to murder.

Othello is very much an adult play. And one would assume that only adults could carry these heavy issues. The deep seeded bitterness of Hugo and the underlying racism felt towards O are issues that need to fester in these characters for years past their high school age. At the same time, the blind rage and suspecting jealousy are themes every teenager deals with. Miramax must have agreed with the latter at some point, since they were planning on releasing it in theatres.

And then two boys in Colorado sparked a paranoia that set the nation on patrol. Because this movie dealt with violence not only against teenagers, but also in a school setting, it was put aside. It stayed in a vault until Lion’s Gate Films was smart enough to pick it up.

The body count in action films is numerous. Shooting another man is done nonchalantly and without a thought. Violence is glazed over and sugar coated. Since it is presented in an unrealistic “fun” way, it is condoned. Those films are not thought of as full of violence, they are thought of as full of action.

O does not fall into this category. Whatever violence or hatred in this movie there is, it is presented in a serious matter, and it illustrates the numerous consequences of it. The evening of her death, Desi sits in front her mirror, brushing her hair. A clock ticks in the background. She’s unaware that the man she loves is about to end her life. Minutes later, O cries while he strangles her. And Hugo, who is the only one to survive, is carted away handcuffed in the back of a police vehicle. This film shows the horror of a life taken, the guilt that drives the main character to suicide, and the hand of the law that grasps tightly to the villain. This film is devoid of slow motion shots where bullets penetrate. And there are no bad jokes throw in to ease the presence of carnage.