Educational Media Reviews Online

Verhoeven’s Tricked documents a creative experiment in filmmaking. Film director, Paul Verhoeven, provides the audience with a 4-minute film segment, and then invites them to submit scripts and film captures to complete the short film. Verhoeven discusses the process by which scripts and film segments are selected incorporated into the original script and film. Commentary is provided on how audiences often forget how a story is developed, and often do not take into account how various settings can create different endings; often focusing too much time on developing a certain aspect of a character or theme, but neglecting the ending. Another factor to consider is the role the actors play in this experiment; they invest their time and energy in a project where they do not know where the story will take them. One actor indicates that it is an “exciting adventure.” Many social issues, and how people respond to them, are addressed throughout the film. While the filmmaking process to create this short film is creative, the content of the film is questionable, including “soft porn” and swearing. This documentary is not recommended for a general audience, but for film studies only. This reviewer suggests caution and discretion when viewing this film.