Irreversible

A typical movie that you either hate or love. I was of the opinion that something gruesome like rape doesn't deserve a place in a movie, but after I saw this I started thinking about it differently. The story is about Alex who is raped in a tunnel after a party. It is told in reverse, perhaps as a metaphor that such an event is irreversible and will carry on forever. Or maybe to make the ending a little lighter considering the heavy subject of the movie.  It was original, you were immediately swallowed up in the story. The chaotic camera work and the nervous music in the background made me very restless, which was exactly the intention. The idea of telling a story in reverse sounds complicated but Gaspar did this perfectly and clearly. Then comes the most controversial scene: the rape itself. The most striking thing was the fact that the scene was very quiet compared to the previous ones. I think it symbolizes the shift in the storyline, that we go from the restless to the quiet. Although the scene is very long, I understand why Gaspar emphasized that. Rape is something terrible and gruesome and the most shameful part of humanity. Emphasisizing that scene also means emphasis on the horror that is happening there. It is confronting to see it and there are two opinions that can be formed: 1) I don't want to see this in a movie, which is a normal reaction. But then I think you also don't dare to confront what the bad side of humanity entails. 2) This scene is crucial in the film, which is my opinion. Film is used to map humans in any possible form, and therefore also the dark side of mankind. It's like the criticism of violent movies, one thinks it's a bad idea while the other can see the art in it. I'm not saying here that rape is art, it's the art of showing a controversial theme to the public in a somewhat digestible way. It ends with the tranquility of the beginning of the real story. Maybe it's best that we get that quiet ending. It is the peace before the storm that we do not wish on anyone, the ideal scenario of how life should be. The film is not as black and white as its reputation. It is strong criticism, a bold leap into what film could or even should be: a complete representation of what humanity implies