Review of Irreversible (2002) by David S — 17 May 2011

First, it cannot be understated: this is the most violently jarring and cringe-inducing movie I have ever seen. There are two long, real-life-length scenes of incredible violence of one person against another that stretch the limits of what a person's senses can take. The effect was mildly traumatizing - which is an incredible achievement for film.

But there is a point to this movie that is more sophisticated than it seems at first blush. You see, even though the scenes are shown in reverse order, later I swear that I remember the action unfolding in perfect, forward chronological order. Is it because of the brutality? Is it the finality of the events depicted? Is it just my mind struggling to make sense of a traumatic episode? If you watch this movie, I believe that, after your initial feelings of emotional evisceration wear off, you will find yourself pondering these questions. Perhaps it is a morality play, but, if so, it is so only indirectly by making the statement that some things in life cannot be reversed. See it for the raw, unfiltered violence, certainly, for I can guarantee you can't have experienced anything like it from a movie before. But I think you will find the way you process this trauma to be most intriguing.