As the semester winds down, AU students are facing finals and are possibly at odds with their roommates. On top of that, today is Tax Day, a stressful time in many Americans' lives. It seems an appropriate time for The Bride to complete her "roaring rampage of revenge" and the Punisher to seek his own brand of vengeance.
Opinions on the two movies here on campus vary widely. Sophomore Mitch Calhoun feels that movies can have a positive effect on a stressful season.
"April is particularly stressful for students because of the mounting pressures of finals, class registration and housing," Calhoun said. "While it probably doesn't bode well for society, watching people die justifiably is always a good way to relieve stress."
Sophomore John Manning agrees.
"It's a good thing to have a medium that is not harmful to society," Manning said. "We can watch somebody go postal [and] it makes you smile and feel a little better about your own insignificant worries."
Other students, however, respond negatively to the depiction of violence in the films. Sophomore Cecilia D'Antonio said that she didn't like "Kill Bill: Vol. 1" and will certainly not see the second one.
"I didn't like that violence was present to such a degree that its intent was humor," D'Antonio said. "Even if viewers consciously know that it is fantasy, as human beings we are still desensitized by the examples presented."
Whether students feel that movies like "Kill Bill" and "The Punisher" glorify violence or provide a viable escape, the fact remains that the debate is only heightened in the case of these particular movies because they are based on themes or revenge.
Dr. Wanda Collins, the coordinator of Outreach and Consultation at AU's Counseling Center, separates the concept of revenge from that of justice.
"[Revenge is] a flawed solution to an incomplete ethical dilemma," Collins said. "Revenge is very similar to justice; however, the ends of revenge are personal satisfaction but the ends of justice are desirable for all."
Collins makes a fair point, but the fact remains that the moral questions surrounding revenge inhabit a gray area. The nature of revenge is an arduous debate that many students on campus are careful to approach.
"People can justify revenge but it is a personal thing each time," said freshman Alex Sutton. "There is no black and white, only gray areas."
Junior Pierre Ferrenou feels that revenge can be justified.
"'Kill Bill' illustrates a perfect example of such a situation," Ferrenou said. "It might not have been the best solution to take revenge, but sometimes you can't undo human nature."
Some students simply don't agree with either side of the debate.
"I don't really think going to see movies to relieve stress works," sophomore Cheryl Kovalsky said. "I feel like going to see a revenge movie would stress me out more. If I was truly stressed, I would rather take a nap"
