Review of Irreversible (2002) by Avery S — 27 Jul 2012

A truly disgusting piece of cinema; nothing but trash desperately groping through gratuitous sensationalism, craving the titles of "high art," "thought-provoking," and "deep".

The director, who vainly attempts to set his film apart from "all the others" with the obnoxious camera-work, over-the-top violence, and dragged-out scenes, is an ugly little charlatan who achieves nothing but proving how darkly he can stain the artistry of filmmaking.

Those ignorant enough to come away from it stunned and moved by its "realism" are psychopathic: it is one thing to explore disturbing subject matter, but another thing entirely to pay homage to rape and use such a repulsive action in an entirely self-masturbatory manner.

This is something a sinister melancholiac in his first year of film school would create in the hopes of making a name for himself. If you're trying this hard to set yourself apart, you have no gift for filmmaking.

You're excused. "The Dreamers" and "Anatomy of Hell" are equally (if not more) shocking, yet they are crafted with beauty and meaning. This lacks both, and is therefore akin to the lowly genre of "rape porn".

The characters are flat, the execution is sloppy, the end-to-beginning playout is illogical and serves no purpose...I could go on and on. I hope I am being very clear when I say this is a genuine embarrassment to film.