Review of Irreversible (2002) by Alex V — 03 May 2010

6.7/10 --.

You have to give credit to Gasper Noe for making what could possibly be one of the ugliest films around. From the inebriated camera work, to a cringe worth bit involving a fire extinguisher, to a near ten minute rape scene in which the camera is set down and you are forced to watch helplessly from an objective point of view. It's all very nauseating. It would be wrong to say I didn't enjoy it though. The problem is that as the film goes on it progressively becomes less interesting, due to the way the scenes are presented (reverse-chronological order). After (or before) the rape, we're shown scenes that reveal little other then the nature of these people's relationships, and really they're nothing special. The only effect these scenes have on the viewer is to show that these good natured normal people are inevitably going suffer horribly. The idea that fate cannot be sidestepped in a fascinating one, but it's simply not enough.