Tuesday, June 07, 2005
IRREVERSABLE
2002
Directed by Gaspar Noé
Running time: 97 minutes
French with English subtitles
The plot for this movie is rather simple: horrible things happen to good people. But in this case, the horror takes form of the unmentionable of situations and the good person comes in the form of undeniably beautiful and seemingly untouchable Monica Bellucci.
So begins the tale of Irreversable. This film is shot in reverse order and desplayed in constant swirling camera angles, which seem to prepare you for the chaos, violence and sick feeling you will now come to realize once the story "unfolds". Beware, this movie makes Memento seem like childs play.
In Irreversable, we are immediately introduced to two violent men searching for someone in a gay sex club. They are desperate and determined, frothing with anger and rage. You have no idea what they are looking for or who they are looking for. The camera continues to draw you in and at the same time the images and words start to transform the situation to something somewhat clearer. What these men are seeking is vengence for something so horrible that when this horror is finally revealed, you understand their rage.
I cannot go any further in describing or letting you now "how it ends", because the end of this movie is really the beginning of the real story in chronological time. But the irony of such humble beginnings displayed at the end of the movie doubles the intensity of how raw this movie really is. The imagery, the tragedy, the violence will keep you RAW FOR DAYS.
There is no real way to describe how this movie ends. Sad. Tragic. Graphic. Vomitatious. Violent. Disturbing. Brilliant. Irreversable.
Also recommended: Haine, La (Hate 1995) & C'est arrivé près de chez vous (Man Bites Dog 1992)
