Review of Elle (2016) by Ariel H — 13 Feb 2017

Paul Verhoeven is filled with two major ingredients. Sex and Violence, starting in Netherlands and the to Hollywood where he made big important films such as Basic Instinct, Robocop, Total Recall and Starship Troopers, he vanished after some failures returning to make movies in Europe for the sake of his well filmmaking style and talent.

The award winning film "Elle" directed Verhoeven is a solid exploration to power, sexuality and lack of emotions. Michèle Leblanc (Isabelle Huppert) is a businesswoman who owns a video games company, they are developing a game that already is 6 months behind schedule. This is causing friction with the team. At the beginning of the movie she is raped by a masked men, the act is violent and very dramatic.

Michèle decided not to report the incident to the police, but continues with her life. She even went to get STD test after the attack. During a dinner with friends and her ex husband she confess the happening. This is the first evidence that Michèle becomes interested in the masked men, but also I the experience of been rape by a unknown person. Michèle is a ruthless woman who loves to be in control, from her son, to her employees she feels entitled to do so. One day 3D video of a monster raping a character with Michèle leak in the office, proving that not everyone likes Michèle, but also grow suspicion that the attacker is between them.

Michèle is obsessed with the attacker, leading to second attack and the revelation of the masked man...

"Elle" is perhaps one of the most simple and disturbing films by Verhoeven He express in this movie what ever he wasn't unable to do before. May be because he is no longer tied to Hollywood. He wants to make a film his own way. In a recent interview he expressed his happiness of making the movie outside the Hollywood system. Elle is not a movie about Michèle revenge to her attack, is about her disturbing deviations, her lack of emotions and how unstable she is. Isabelle Huppert delivers a powerful performance, she deserve so many awards for this character.