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Matthew_Riley
Reviews
Irréversible (2002)
Cripples you, mocks you and doesn't even do it well
Irréversible is the notorious French indie film which came from the mind of Gasper Noé. Its notoriety comes primarily from the sadistic, harrowing and realistic anal rape scene in an underpass, add this with other frequent distressing scenes throughout and you have one very disturbing film. This film is not for the faint hearted, with two horrific scenes, viewer discretion is definitely advised.
Its non-chronological order is very unique and executed well enough to make sense. Disorientated camera movements symbolise a cut back in time and are accompanied with the incessant, gradually intensifying sounds, which suits the films gritty aesthetics very well. These sounds are used incredibly well throughout and are definitely a highlight of the film, especially in the underground gay bar "Rectum" where an already intimidating atmosphere is enhanced to an astounding level, increasing your anguish. Its use of no sound is also used in all the right places as well; it adds masses of suspense and unease, particularly when Alex walks down to the underpass.
The actual rape scene is far too long; it achieves what it sets out to do within the first minute, when it reached the second minute I wanted to stop watching but when it began pushing the ten minute mark it just got ridiculous. I understand why it is so graphic as it does give you a real sense of a rape, but why would a film want to portray such a scene? It just seems to use rape as a novelty purely to add shock value as there are no educational factors in the film. Because of this, it ends up giving off the essence that it's only included to get more views. At the end of the day it just angered me as there seems to be no reason behind the film, it's just pointless. If I'm honest, the film wouldn't be so well known, watched and rated if it didn't have the rape scene as it doesn't really do anything well. The characters are very unlikeable and have almost no development, there is no satisfying conclusion and the worst part is that it insults you after the scene.
You're expected to continue watching the film forty minutes after the rape scene which is a gruesome task due to the mediocrity and frankly, boringness, of the film. Alex even states "the future is decided already, everything is fixed" which blatantly suggests that she was destined to get raped. Marcus, Alex's boyfriend, makes references towards the scene further on in the film. What no one seems to notice is that the man whose skulled gets bashed in at the start of the film isn't even the rapist, who it seems, gets off scot-free. What really tops it off is the fact that Alex is actually pregnant during the rape which we find out right at the end. I'm livid just writing this, is this what Irréversible really wants to achieve?
Irréversible is as insulting as it is infuriating for what appears to be, no reason. The only thing it pulls off is the use of sound which is done to a tee. It cripples you, kicks you on the floor and doesn't even do it well, or gracefully. The fact that it is dependent on the rape scene gives the feeling that it uses rape as a novelty to get views. The film is simplistic and straight forward; because of this it lacks depth. Ignore the 10/10 reviews, ignore the 5+/10 reviews as they obviously haven't taken the film apart and examined its every detail. Don't waste your time on Irréversible as its disturbing, harrowing contents will make you suffer and will give you nothing in return.
El laberinto del fauno (2006)
Intricate, beautiful and sinister
Pan's Labyrinth is the definition of mystical realism; you'll expect the two completely different story-lines to clash, but Ofelia's magical world and the divided Spain during its civil war are blended perfectly. Guillermo del Toro's intricate mind shows its full capacity through this creative, yet surprisingly dark story about the contrast of the adult and child mind in twentieth century war- torn Spain. Ofelia's innocence will be tested as she meets a faun in a labyrinth who will request the completion of three challenges; if these challenges are completed she will achieve immortality and be reunited with her family in a mystical haven. Whilst in the real world she will encounter dehumanisation, repression and the harshness of the physical world.
Pan's Labyrinth's morals may seem slightly generic but the polarization of the innocent child and the relationship-driven, slightly psychotic adult is perfectly executed. Ofelia reads fairy tales and lets her imagination run wild despite her naysaying peers who are too focused on the serious things in life. It can be interpreted in multiple ways due to how sophisticated it is. A favourite of mine is the question of is there much difference between the two lands? With evil on both sides, comparisons between Ofelia's stepfather and "The Pale Man" and even Ofelia succumbing to one of the seven deadly sins, greed, which is shown during the second task.
The character design is incredible, especially "The Pale Man". With simplistic, yet beautiful, CGI used throughout the film, Pan's Labyrinth is a joy to watch. Emotionally, it provides a little bit of everything, it can be tense, sinister, warming and even sad; this compliments the unpredictability of its plot immensely. Its ending is faultless in the way that it can be the typical "happily ever after" fairy tale ending, or end of quite a sad note; This is purely dependant on your frame of mind. In fact, the only negative I found with Pan's Labyrinth is that I wanted more of focus on the Faun and the Labyrinth; I was actually quite disappointed with the lack of emphasis on it. The fact that it excelled in character design makes me wonder why there were not more mystical characters present in the film which I felt was needed.
Overall, Pan's Labyrinth is a fascinating film which is well worth a watch. The positives outweigh the negatives wholly and the only negatives I found were entirely personal. I strongly suggest for you to read up on the analysis of the film after watching it to discover its hidden metaphors and meanings as they make the film all the better.
Oldeuboi (2003)
Twisted and unusual; A film that will stay fresh in your mind for a long time.
Oldboy is unique from plot to soundtrack; delving into depths western cinema would not even dream of going. It requires your undivided attention throughout as it questions human moralities and how far one will go to seek vengeance and keep secrets under wraps. The plot twist Oldboy hands to the viewer is frighteningly well executed, leaving you blind as it hits you like a tonne of bricks. With twists and turns like this, Oldboy will drop jaws and leave you tearing up with its clever ending.
However, Oldboy will leave a bit of a strange taste in your mouth at times and leave you neither liking nor disliking any of its characters. Its plot does rely on a few coincidental actions. For example, how did Oh Dae-su just so happen to stumble upon Mido's restaurant? This and a small amount of other scenes in the film could have been explained a bit better. Whilst Oldboys fight scenes are arguably sparse and cheap-looking, they are used to the right effect and are frequent enough to keep you glued to the screen throughout. They will, however, leave some viewers with the desire for more scenes similar to the hallway fight scene, which is filmed brilliantly and thoroughly enjoyable but not as convincingly as they'd like to think.
Despite this, these flaws are drowned out as Oldboy still manages to deliver enough evidence to strongly support the plot, leaving you thinking "how, why and really?" rather than "this makes no sense" and this is exactly what it wants you to do. For you to ask questions of yourself and the people around you. That's the beauty of the film and what it performs so well, never before have I seen a film that has left me drawn back, a film that is so twisted that I have questioned the conclusion I have come to. For these reasons Oldboy is a must watch, an incredible piece of cinematic and directorial genius which Chan-wook Park should be proud of and renowned for. Oldboy will stay on your mind for a long time, accompanied by its memorable quotes.
"Laugh and the world laughs with you. Weep and you weep alone"