Irreversible

This message at the beginning is solely for my rating. If you have nothing nice to say about how I’ve given this a high rating, don’t say anything. Please don’t hate me for having an opinion on a FILM!! Oh and trigger warning for people who don’t like the topic rape as this film is basically all anyone mentions when it’s brought up. ** **My very first Gaspar Noé and maybe even his best? I haven’t seen his others though so maybe one could top this. Okay look I’m gonna get into the nitty gritty right away. The tunnel scene. We all know it, unless you don’t. Which for context is an extremely unflattering 10 minute rape scene. The reason it’s highly regarded for why people don’t watch this film is because of that. However I believe you should see it anyway! It’s much more than just that scene, theres so much more involved and I feel like one of my favourite bits of the film is generally just the camera work. It’s so nauseating yet brilliant at the same time. It makes every scene fill you will discomfort. Now the tunnel scene, I personally didn’t find it to be as bad as people say. This is why I don’t want people coming flooding my comments saying you’re a fucking weirdo. I found the scene very much disturbing and truly terrifying trust me. But that’s kinda why I feel it’s so necessary to be in there? Look, don’t catch this the wrong way, Gaspar Noé is a VERY talented director, however he is a part of the French Extremity. Meaning in a nutshell, he makes some fucked up films. What I found with this, is what makes it so hard to watch is that it’s 10 minutes of uncut footage in one take. The reason it’s highly slated is because of how real it is. But now here’s where you have to hear me out. I praise it for being so real and disturbing. Because it’s not cowardly running from the truth. The world we live in is fucked up, Noé shows one of those reasons in this film in an intense and uncomfortable way. So, why do I “praise” this directing choice? Because unlike 90% of most films covering this topic. You feel like the victim, the camera is at a low angle on the floor, your eyes are practically glued to the screen (with the camera). You’re forced to sit with it, which leads me to my next point. He wanted to make it unbelievably unbearable to witness. The whole point of the scene was he wanted it to be as real as possible, as traumatic, cold and painful. I found in his camera techniques and writing, he shows you the ugly truth. I saw a video explaining his thought process and he said, he hated how films cut away, it’s unrealistic, that doesn’t happen in a real situation. It’s fucked up…but it’s the truth. Many people also completely ignore the BDSM club bits, for me those are some of the key bits of unhinged behaviour. The tunnel sequence is so massive in the fact that if you mention this film to any cinephile they’ll think of that. But I’d prefer to redirect the conversation to the club sequence, the fire extinguisher brutality. The end (beginning) showing how hopeless this film is. I think Irreversible is one of the best films of the 2000s, for its unforgettable moments and hideous truth of the world. I also hope to never use the website Effedupmovies.com. As they have a comment section and it’s full of disgusting statements that should have these people locked up. Also because the website felt really uncomfortable. Main critique that stops it being a 5 for me is a very much because of the last thirty minutes feeling a bit of a drag to get through personally. I just feel like it could’ve been slightly better without but hey. Maybe Noé felt bad for everyone and thought to let them have a more chilled “ending”. Or beginning if you will. Edit: I actually believe the last thirty minutes is incredible for letting you sit there and process what just happened, not to mention since it’s in reverse makes it also so horrible to think that’s what is to come. So yeah will be a 5 for me. I am going to go to bed now though, as it’s 3:45 in the morning. P.S. please understand where I’m coming from on the critique point of views, I don’t want to sound like a weirdo. I’m looking through the lens. Again if you have nothing kind to say to me about the fact that I think this is a masterpiece of extreme cinema and how art isn’t always meant to be comforting. In which sometimes the best comes from the sickest.