Climax
~ Gaspar Noe ~ 2018 ~ 1h. 37m. ~
Gaspar Noe
R | 1h 37min | Drama, Horror, Music | 2018
Gaspar Noé has garnered a reputation as one of French cinema’s most controversial directors. His films center around the trifecta of sex, drugs, and violence. His camerawork is erratic and free-form, going from lengthy tracking shots to having the camera pointed overhead. When the credits roll each name is presented in an array of unique strobing graphics set to a loud, abrasive electronic beat. While perhaps being not everyone’s taste, his movies are always visceral and exciting.
Climax introduces us to a couple dozen French contemporary dancers as they prepare for a North American tour. Things go awry when during an afterparty, the sangria gets spiked with LSD. From this point onwards it plays out like a slasher flick without a slasher.
The choreography in this film is insanely good. Like a good ballet, our perceptions of characters are directly informed by their style of dance and how they interact with each other. There’s a free flowing energy to the whole experience, starting with a jubilant rehearsal and ending in a violent frenzy.
As seen by: Spencer Dick
1.26.2021