Irreversible Review
by Josh Gilchrist (joshgilch AT aol DOT com)March 8th, 2004
Irréversible * * * 1/2 out of * * * *
review by Josh Gilchrist
Gaspar Noé's Irréversible is one of those rare films that I'm not at all anxious to watch again, even though I think that, as a whole, the film is a
brilliant trip into the violent underbelly of life. And I would never recommend
the film to anyone I know. Saying it's a trial to get through is an understatement. This is the same film which caused much of the audience to exit
the theater when it was shown at the Cannes Film Festival.
The film's most agonizing scene is a nine minute segment where beautiful Alex (Monica Bellucci) is anally raped, kicked and beaten unconscious in a Paris underpass. Most viewers won't even make it that far, since the first 20 minutes
are filled with graphic images of sex and violence.
While Noé's vision can seem unrelentingly sadistic and sexist, the film's raw emotion keeps it afloat. Noé is no more sadistic than a Tarantino or Kubrick. If anything, Noé is attempting to copy these directors along with others. The film is even told backwards, ala Memento, but it's not as successfull in doing so, the plot itself is not nearly as avant-garde. Thankfully, Noé is also
a master at character development. We are introduced to Alex's boyfriend Marcus
(Vincent Cassel) and her ex-lover Pierre (Albert Dupontel). The search for vengeance begins in a Gay S&M club called The Rectum. The magnificent cinematography by Noé and Benoît Debie adds to the manic and desperate mood. The camera shifts and turns, passing by people at a rapid pace.
Desperation is the key element of the film and this is why the backward storytelling is effective. We begin with the madness of the ending and end with
the beautiful emotions at the beginning. It's a tactic which enforces Alex's vivacious spirit. The final scenes of the film show a woman whose probably has never been happier. The fact that we already know that in a matter of hours, her life comes crashing down makes the experience much more powerful. Noé clearly wanted the tragic overtone to resonate throughout.
Maybe it's too powerful. Imagine a rape victim or victim of some sort of sexual
crime coming across Irréversible. Then a cinematic venture turns into a traumatic experience. That's the danger of filmmaking, getting too personal with the viewer or bringing back bad memories. This has been a problem with the
cinematic art form from day one. We can't stop filmmakers from striving to create more realistic movie going experiences. They're constantly trying to one
up each other in an attempt to get away with murder onscreen.
Realism at the expense of taking the disgusted audience to the brink of Hell - that's where Noé's intentions lie. Viewers either buy into this mechanism or they run away, not ready for this type of experience.
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