Overrated

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

I'm a horror fan. I have a pretty high tolerance for gore, violence, and disturbing material. I have seen practically every movie made on the subject of Charles Manson. That being said, I was completely disgusted by this revolting, over the top, horrific "film" that really should be classified under snuff p*rn. The violence, nudity, and gore is continuously shoved down your throat in an attempt to shock and repulse you. In my opinion this is the product of a talentless director that is so obviously leaning on the shock value in order to compensate for his lack of artistic point of view. This crappola is such an insulting and degrading exploit of the people who were involved and who died. I barely finished watching it and promptly broke it in half and threw it away (wouldnt even look at the second disc). If you like to watch this kind of crap and on a human level NOT be disgusted and disturbed that, not only are we capable of horrendous acts like this, but some one wants to film it and make money off of it in the name of "entertainment", there's something seriously wrong with you. I guess thats who this sh*t is geared toward.

I just watched this movie last night, and wow! I have read several books about Manson, and was surprised at how this movie mostly stuck to the facts, and still created a dramatic and frightening film about the disintegration of the Family, and the murders that took place over two nights in 1969. The direction is excellent and the editing is top-notch for a film with this budget. I was reminded of Natural Born Killers throughout many sequences in this film. I cannot believe that this film hasn't garnered more attention.The numerous depictions of drug use and sexual freedom are very realistic and accurate. The hallucinatory scenes are a visual feast. I give this movie a well deserved 10 because it never slows down, and will surely become a cult-classic for fans of disturbing and/or violent cinema. Some of the scenes of blood and gore seem fake, but real death scenes often look just as fake because they are so in-your-face with the gruesomeness and violence. This film takes no prisoners and fans of violent horror will certainly be satisfied.A warning to the squeamish..this film is vile, bloody, and chock full of sex, drugs, rape, nudity and very graphic violence.

I watched The Manson Family with hope of it being a good movie as well as broadening my horizons about the mass-murder family, as I knew very little about them.Well the turn-out was that it did the second part (a little bit) but the first part it failed miserably as the movie was atrocious.From watching The Manson Family I know a little more than before. The family are a little like the Devils Reject's although nastier and crazier. This film has to be one of the weirdest and craziest films I've seen along with house of a 1000 corpses.The director Jim Van Bebber, has to be the worst around and receives my nomination for creating one of the worst films I have ever seen.I wish I could give the film some credit, but I physically can't. I know the movie is based on a true story, so the film can only go with what happened, but come on, they could of made it better. Take Wolf Creek for example, it was based on a true story just like The Manson Family although there was a difference - it was good!Before I finish, may I just laugh at the people that actually think the manson family was good. I have read other reviews, and some people have gave it a 10, and said they have only give it a 10 because of the event, and what happened. I CAN'T Believe THESE PEOPLE! A good bit of advice to them would be to STOP, think and watch the movie and ask themselves "is the movie good? is it actually worth the watch" - NO! Fair enough, an extra point or so, seeing that the film is based upon a horrific event, but I won't accept people giving it 10's!Summary: probably one of the worst 90 minutes I have spent to date. - 2/10

Jim VanBebber brings a refreshing 70's exploit-film quality to even his most recent endeavors. His films are often hit-or-miss (even within a single film...) but I do like his "style".THE MANSON FAMILY is basically VanBebber's retelling of the Manson Family and their activities, leading up to the Tate-LaBianca murders. Nothing that you haven't already seen/heard about, except for some good ol' sleazy sex scenes and some exceptionally gruesome murder re-enactments...VanBebber doesn't really bring much new to the table in his retelling - except for his style, which was enough to keep me interested. Not a "great" film by any means, but apparently relatively "accurate" based on what I know of the Family and their crimes. VanBebber throws in a weird side-story about a bunch of Charlie-obsessed teens that doesn't necessarily need to be there - but most of his films have a kind of disjointed quality that I guess I've become used to. If you want to see a more "graphic" and exploitive Manson Family film, rife with tits, ass, and gore - this is the one for you...7.5/10