Phonearl Good start, but then it gets ruined

MonsterPerfect Good idea lost in the noise

Matialth Good concept, poorly executed.

Tedfoldol everything you have heard about this movie is true.

Dantae Hiruma 'The Experiment' is based on the famous Stanford Prison Experiment, in which 24 Stanford students took on the roles of guards and prisoners for a psychological experiment in 1971. And within a period of only 6 days, those students had adapted to their roles so well that the conductors had to shut down the experiment prematurely. The experiment was seen by the conductors as an example for their hypothesis that the personality traits of prisoners and guards are the chief cause of abusive behavior in prison. However, it has since gone through quite a lot of criticism for many things including the ways the conductors influenced test subjects through their instructions, and the fact that students who volunteered for the experiment were mostly aggressive and authoritarian. It's also notable that BBC attempted to replicate this experiment in 2002 but did not get the same result.So in short, the Stanford Prison Experiment is not really an interesting discovery as it aspired to be, and so is this movie. Compared to the real-life experiment, the movie is even more ridiculous since it eventually ignores the test subjects' salary, one of the driven factors in the original experiment, and more importantly, it fails to mention the experiment's goal, and therefore makes the whole thing rather pointless. As the result, the only thing that the movie has 'proven' is violent people will act violently given the chance, a fact that can be seen in almost all thriller/action movies ever. The execution, fortunately, is a bit better that the premise. It's actually very suspense and gripping at times, and the characters' progression, at least within the first hour, is quite logical. The acting, however, was much less convincing. I've found myself laughing at some scenes that were supposed to be serious due to the terrible supporting cast. It also contains some very implausible details like how unprepared and understaffed the conductors are, or the relationship between the main character and his 'girlfriend'. I especially question the parts with the girlfriend, because I'm still not sure why the movie makers even felt that they needed to have her in the movie. As far as I can see, all she does is dragging the movie out, and showing some nudity.In conclusion, 'The Experiment' is a quite entertaining movie with a unique setting, but that's it. There's nothing really groundbreaking, or interesting about it. If that's what you expect, then I recommend watching a documentary on the original experiment instead.

asnac There's some grainy footage on youTube of the Stanford Prison experiment - it's worth watching either before or after seeing this film, to see how closely they tried to follow it. For example, the humiliating gowns that the prisoners had to wear are identical to those at Stanford Prison. How do you make a film that is entirely about men in a prison, interesting to women? Or indeed to a wider audience than just those interested in the psychological experiment? What this director did was contrive a female lover for one of the prisoners. The film cuts to her every ten minutes or so. Her role is loom around looking sad or anxious or concerned (she really is no deeper than that), and occasionally take her clothes off. They also invented a female, youngish employee of the laboratory, who is also always anxious and concerned, and also manages to lose her clothes at one point.This film envisages the original experiment going much further than it did, with the violence becoming extreme in the last half hour, leading to lots of running around from one peril to another. (I found it hard to retain my attention, as the interesting stuff had all been done and I expect they only put the chase scenes in to widen the audience appeal.)

ifasmilecanhelp The best group psychological behavior movie since long, or how would act/do most human under the Authority agreement, considering the fact that most people have sadistic and/or submissive potentials (under certain circumstances), as long as there is a strong leader in any group.The Stanford Experiment is the basis of this movie, and even though the conclusions of the S.E. were contested, with comprehensive reasons from a scientific point of view, for my humble understanding of human nature, I unfortunately have to agree the conclusions are definitively true.Many comments do take in consideration Abu Graib, or the last WW2, but it's only because we know nothing about what is still going on every day of the year, in too many countries.Newspapers make a big thing every once a few years, but it's only because the Freedom of Knowledge is quiet under control on this Earth, as long there are only very few courageous journalist/politicians/legal actors/banking or industry leaders/and/or individuals that really act/shout against Unjustice, because most of them live and make money on it ! (except last category)And second (the possible main point), they are mostly friends, even apparently and publicly they disagree with each other.I remember an incredible thing that happened in Madagascar in 1992, or 1993; I was working there 4 months a year (for 8 consecutive years), and since 1991, there was a big clash between the then actual President ("elected dictator") Ratsiraka and the opposition of most malagasy people, politicians included.For the background, that year there was a manifestation and one million people marched against the president palace. My malagasy friends told me to come... I just replied that was may be not the best way to do, because president's were no good boys... However this day according to the government, there were about 12 officially dead, killed in a "self-defensive response" from the guards, but it was from an helicopter gun machine and the more reality there were about 200 persons who were killed this day (according Red Cross)... Sad you'd say... obviously me too !But coming back to the "Newspapers paragraph" above, what really puts me down is that a few time later there was a direct TV show between two representatives of the government and two from the "opposition" party, and a journalist. As the talks went on, they all started quiet politely, but more and more it went on were really becoming aggressive, to almost shout against each other at the end, I mean government and opposition people.The only one who tried to cool it down was the TV showman... who at the end of the official program thanked every one...This was the end of the program... BUT the camera continued to shoot on live...After about 30 seconds everyone started to chat and laugh to each other very friendly, and pleasant again ! The show was supposed to be off program, no more shooting...This very day, I will never forget !2 minutes ago they were all together apparently showing a real and true disagreement, talking about how many were killed, arguing, and so on, almost fighting...Then laughing and chatting...If you consider this story, this is not exactly the topic of this movie... but close to what I'm saying : most people collaborate, even though it possibly does not please them entirely.Following other "happenings" I've seen before I thought I was no more so naive...For everything what is in The Experiment, it's brilliant, the only weakling thing is the woman flashback, but it's a very minor thing, to cut down the tension, but finally helps to reinforce it afterward. The escalate is real, the acting and script and filming is all together compact, for real !At the end, I just cried, not for the movie, I know it's one !But because this could help many to realise and behave differently...The "Authority" is always a bad thing, unless it's not due to self respect to the authority's kindness and knowledge which should only be taken as a positive example.For me, may be only the Dalai Lama is a worldwide known person (to me) who really is a true example, and as for he's not invited in a main ecclesiastic conference, I just laugh : one of the Only !To kill someone, is a bad thing, an horrible thing, but if you do it under the Authority consent because it tells you have the obligation and right to do it otherwise you'll be the next one on the list to be killed and not ONLY because YOU are sincerely convinced you must do it for your deepest belief AND for your personal soul justice (if it does possibly exist), then you may enter in doing things how we see in this movie.Of course, it's not easy : self respect is a difficult thing to deal with, for everyone...It reminds me another brilliant must see movie : Closet Land (1991), which deals too with the topic, beautifully shots, but only with an inmate and a woman prisoner.I wonder if any movie maker could translate and adapt the topic... for a children movie !It seems, since a few years, in Europe and particularly in Germany, they are again excellent directors, who deals with the notion of Autority or Power abuse...Die Welle (The Wave) (2008) is also a damned good example.Anyway for The Experiment, just take the helicopter for you next dealer... (but just don't shoot him :-)or easier, take the phone to buy/rent/steal (for the last word, I do sincerely discourage it:-) this must see movie ! *** a film is never really good unless the camera is an eyes in the head of a poet Orson Welles ***

TheExpatriate700 Das Experiment (The Experiment) is a decent psychological thriller loosely based on the 1970s Stanford Prison Experiment. It follows the travails of failed journalist Tarek Fahd as he attempts to reinvigorate his career by joining and secretly documenting a prison simulation experiment. What follows is a descent into violence.The film is at its best when it examines the psychological degeneration of the experiment's participants. Initially charming guards, such as an Elvis impersonator, It is no coincidence that this is a German film, as there is a heavy emphasis on how ordinary men can degenerate into sadistic monsters. The Third Reich parallels are made explicit when one prisoner calls a particularly brutal guard a "dirty, rotten, stinky, Nazi." It is arguable that Hannah Arendt should have been given writing credits.The film suffers in its latter half, however, from an all too typical degeneration into action movie clichés and violence, with the film losing all sense of verisimilitude. (Particularly given the fact that in the actual Stanford Prison Experiment, students who played prisoners became submissive, not aggressive.) Furthermore, the film includes an all too typical romantic angle that distracts from the psychodrama. These flaws mar what could have been a far better film.