The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Pure cinematic agony. An anti-American masturbatory fantasy seemingly made by a troupe of first-semester film-school students. Don't believe any of the other votes or comments here -- they're only promoting the film because they think that by doing so they will help to damage the reputation of the United States. But the only reputation this film damages is that of the filmmaker and anyone who claims to have liked it.If you don't believe me, go ahead -- I dare you to buy or rent a copy of "Mr. Freedom" and try to sit through the entire thing. I guarantee that a queasy combination of disgust, boredom and an earache will compel you to abandon the film before you even get halfway through.

This isn't a exactly a masterpiece, but a very brave and very funny look at American imperialism by-way of our consumerism, our over-consumption, our super-patriotism, our racism, and our basic stupidity as a nation.But since postmodernism is thankfully dead as an intellectual fad (the public never cared about it anyway), and because history has reared its ugly head again showing that American power has its vulnerabilities, this film has become very timely, and is definitely prescient in its criticisms of American culture and economy. That doesn't mean it's supposed to be entertaining, but far be it from us Americans to understand the difference.What's really boring is how whenever someone has the "temerity" to criticize American foreign policy, they're somehow being "pedantic" and "preachy," while the excesses of our corporate owned media get a free pass. It's a hollow argument whose lies are showing, and we've got a lot of criticism coming-our-way these days, even from our "allies" in the EU. We've earned it.Ken Russell is much better at this kind of comic book approach to satire--he's funnier. If Klein fails--which he sometimes does in Mr. Freedom--it's only because the subject matter isn't funny. America is a real horror, just as it was in the late-1960s, with more fun to come. What makes Mr. Freedom so great is how beautiful it looks, which should come as no surprise considering its source. Klein was a very successful fashion photographer for American Vogue during the 1950s-60s.Eventually, he grew tired and disgusted with the direction the country was taking at that time and left for France. Who can blame an intelligent man with a clue? If you can do it, then-by-all-means, do it. You couldn't make a movie like Mr. Freedom in America then, or now, and that's the real courage behind it. It was a labor of love and principle, a rarity in cinema.Most chilling is the slaughter of a poor Black family by Mr. Freedom in the beginning prologue. That he wears a cowboy hat, uses violence to get his way, that he eats excessively, that he's intolerant of the views of others, all speaks volumes of what America is really about, and that's criminality.

Good satire keeps you focused on the film ... cf. Dr. Strangelove which is as strongly critical of America as any of Klein's films, but it's a classic in the US. Everyone has seen it. Klein's films are intended to be harshly critical of the US as well, but they are so amateurish in their execution and pedantic in their dialog that I actually fell asleep during two of his films. Robert Mitchum was once described as having 'a crushing touch in an eggshell comedy'. This is no such comedy, but Klein does have the 'crushing touch' down to a fine science. This skill extends to Who Are You Polly Maggoo? which is part of the set issued by Criterion in the Eclipse series.

I saw this film at this years berlin film festival (berlinale2002) and it was great. Although i did not understand every word I laughed throughout the film. I just loved the american propaganda, the french accents and the bombing of France. If you've seen this film you understand the Cold War. 10/10