The newest film from Daniel Radcliffe is about as far from Harry Potter as you can get. Swiss Army Man has been generating some extreme responses from viewers, and many of them are not positive. During the Sundance Film Festival, some in attendance actually walked out of the theater in the middle of the screening. The actor doesn't really understand the reaction. While he admits the film is unusual, he also thinks that's what makes it so special.
The premise of Swiss Army Man is certainly something new. Daniel Radcliffe plays a dead body who washes up on shore and is discovered by a shipwrecked Paul Dano, who finds ingenious ways to use the corpse in order to ensure his own survival. As much of the film's comedy is based around the physical abuse of Radcliffe's lifeless body, it's understandable that some viewers could take issue with what they're watching, but the actor tells Entertainment Weekly that he doesn't understand people walking out, because it implies they are somehow offended by Swiss Army Man, and while the movie may be many things, it's not offensive.
I was intrigued by the walkout thing. For me, you don't walk out of a film you don't like. The only time that I've walked out of something was if I was offended by it. And, to me, it's such an inoffensive movie. There's some body humor in there, but there's nothing that we haven't seen a million times in other movies. That, to me, is not what sets this film apart. What sets this film apart is that it's somehow held together --- all that ridiculous body stuff and stupid jokes --- are all held together [in] a really beautiful, profound, reflective movie. I've never felt so sure of guaranteeing people that they won't be bored in a movie.
While Daniel Radcliffe may have grown up in Hollywood, he appears to have still been able to become one of the most well-adjusted people in the industry. He's not even arguing here that everybody will necessarily find Swiss Army Man to be good. He's open to, and totally cool with, the idea that people may not like it, he just doesn't see that as a valid reason to walk out. Instead, he finds the material to be something that people should at least witness, simply because there's nothing else like it. Having seen the trailer, we're forced to agree.
Many people walk out of movies for many reasons. Certainly, being offended by the material is a valid one. Have you ever left a theater in the middle of a movie? Let us know in the comments which one, and why.
