"The Master" (2012)

It is really quite annoying to be duped again by Hollywood, despite a healthy dose of caution and skepticism. With film this is really quite a challenge, because one does not want to ruin a story by knowing too much beforehand. However, even risking trailers and a review here or there did not help with “The Master.”

This film sells itself as the story of a cult leader and one of his more enthusiastic converts, perhaps with a study of the disillusionment and disappointment placing one’s faith in such con-men ultimately leads to. At the very least it looked like an exploration of faith and the way we humans are so dependent on belief that we will follow anyone using this need to control us.

One could have known better too. The director’s last film, “There Will Be Blood” was one of the most overrated movies of its year, and this one did not fare so well amongst the critics.

What do we get if we give “The Master” a try? A mess. A plot less study of broken men leading broken men. A lot of needless nudity that does not make sense even from the perspective of the film. And a deep sense that we have wasted over two hours of our life, and that we have been taken for a ride.

Maybe there is a statement about radical cults in there somewhere after all?