Hmmm

I'm not doing very well with updating regularly am i? Oh well, here's review no.3!

Antichrist (2009) Dir. Lars Von Trier.

During his latest assault on the Cannes Film Festival, Danish director Lars Von Trier declared himself the world's greatest filmmaker. This surely makes his latest offering an unmissable experience? Well, this is clearly contestable for with Antichrist, Trier has produced his most troubling and at times baffling filmic experience. Numerous articles leading up to the release of the film have centered around the contraversial final act which has prompted outrage and motions for the whole picture to be banned. This reaction is unsurprising due to the truly disturbing nature of certain moments and images that have now been well documented. Whether the action leading up to these development is as worthy of an audience's attention is another question entirely.

Focusing on Charlotte Gainsbourg (Her) and Willem Dafoe (Him), the film begins with the death of their child and traces the effect that this has on their relationship and Gainsbourg's increasingly fragile state of mind. Dafoe, a psychologist decides to treat his wife himself and they retreat ti a cabin in the woods of 'Eden' where events spiral into incredibly dark territory. The film starts strongly with it's prologue, a startlingly beautiful and tragic sequence entirely in black and white and accompanied by a haunting score (however, a very early explicit shot during the couple's lovemaking is particularly jarring) and scenes following Gainsbourg's descent into extreme mourning and Dafoe's troubling indifference are intriguing. Unfortunately, the main bulk of the film gives the feeling of being languorously guided through a clinical psychology program as Dafoe administers a number of mental tests on his wife and analyses every action she takes or word she speaks. Whilst not being your average horror movie, the director is using the language of horror here and without doubt the forest setting is used effectively, and there are moments of inspired shotmaking from Von Trier but frankly, it is just not enough to overcome the often overbearingly dullness of certain scenes.

The film is jolted into it's final act of gore and carnage by the proclamation "Chaos Reigns" provided by a self mutilating fox voiced by non-other than Von Trier himself. This moment serves to elicit nothing but a few giggles and twitters but the same cannot be said for the final thirty minutes of film.

It's important to stress that if easily shocked, then Antichrist is one to avoid. There are some truly harrowing sequences and images that are presented in grizzly close up. The disconcerting effect of them is not really down to the prowess of Von Trier's abilities but simply due to the horrific nature of the acts. There is also something very troubling with regards to what the director is attempting to say with this piece (if indeed he intends to send out a message at all). On numerous occasions the label of misogynist has been flung at Von Trier and these claims have understandably been raised again here with some outrageous pondering over the fundamental evil nature of women. There is no denying that Antichrist makes for an interesting and challenging watch but as the final shot faded into darkness the most prevalent feelings I had were of confusion, discomfort and distaste. Which is not what I attend the cinema for.

2/5.