Climax

 


Name: Fractured

Directed By: Gaspar Noé 

Subgenre: Foreign, Surreal Thriller

Series: Spooktober 2019 entry #17; review #48

Review: Climax is an A24 flick and directed by Gaspar Noé of Irréversible and Into the Void fame. Given the A24 pedigree, you can assume few things right off the bat: slow, almost painfully methodical pacing, amazing cinematography and score, and a pretentious level of artistry that will be horribly divisive to viewers. All of that is true for Climax. The film is about a dance troupe that gathers for a dance party that devolves into chaos after someone spikes the punch. The first half of the film is just dancing. There are (over)long scenes of pure, unscripted and improvised routines that, while a bit grating (compared to similar scenes in Suspiria are better paced and better fit the horror genre), are actually fairly hypnotic to watch given the outstanding talent of the cast. Like those in the film, our experience as viewers plays out like a bad drug trip: the film starts off a bit bland, then gives way to a throbbing sense of curiosity that eventually breaks down into an abject nightmare. When the characters find out that they are, in fact, trippin' balls, they give in to the worst of their human nature: with their inhibitions gone, the characters show a true unflinching ugliness toward each other. It is a beautiful, horrible film. Problem is, I still don't know if I found it entertaining once the dust (snow, in this case) had settled. Given that, it's hard to score Climax. If you can sit through the first half, the payoff will, at the very least, keep you talking about it even if you didn't particularly enjoy it. While there's not much in the way of plot, its execution and, well, climax will be something you are likely to remember--whether you’d want to or not.




Overall Score: 3.5 out of 5 Chads locked in the electrical closet. Did Climax scare you? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

IMDB: Here

How to Watch: Climax is available on these platforms.


Official Trailer



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