Message:If applied as a "bad guy" would, wrapping the tape several dozen times about the head and even breaking the person's jaw, the actor would complain; the audience would be horrified.
Watch the ball-gag and tape used in Clockwork Orange home invasion for example of heinous done right. Got the film banned!
Latest HBO TASK has bad guys who are not bad. They are just misunderstood. They rob drug houses. When one goes wrong, they leave with the seven year old kid; this after killing his parents (bikers) and one more thug. They leave fingerprints, a gun and a ton of DNA at scene. But they do not just kill the child and run away to say Fresno.
Because the writer wants us to love these thieves, sympathize, have empathy for their plight? They do mental yoga. They ain't so bad, lunkheads. This is hardly comedy from the way other deaths were filmed. Brain stains, okay. Dog or kid shot, not so much. Of course, no harm to cats, ever.
It's trite pabulum. Either do it stylize (like any fifties noir) or just commit to violence. Modern movie makers are weak. Their work is derivative and cartoon.
But sure, we can laugh at one piece of tape or a single zip-tie securing anyone.
Anything by Tarantino knows (shows) better. Even when he pans away to let the audience imagine far worse.
Yours,
IronRed
09-Sep-2025