Climax

Being a neurodivergent cinephile always makes for a unique experience considering that light has a profound effect on me, particularly neon ones, & make me more emotional than the average joe far quicker even when we’re experiencing the exact same light. I’m Bipolar, so I’m already considerably more emotional than I’d like to be; I always say that it’s a benefit with art because it becomes so much easier to embody my emotions creatively, & moreover when I actually experiencing films outside mine, notably ones within a theater, I am far more emotional; it’s hard to prevent radical scores for me but I think I’ve gotten better at it. So, when something like Climax comes around with a dramatic pattern of thick neon overlapping the constant noise it begins to ring as static; overstimulating static that made me excessively emotional with a fuzzy head. Frankly, I felt like I was on drugs. This got so bad that when I paused it to grab my meds from my room (I was watching this w/ my sister) I felt as if reality was turning at a dutch angle & begin to stumble a bit. I’m sure I’m simply being dramatic, but it’s truly what it felt, it made my eyes sore & my head ache. I was overwhelmed by all the screams & sweats from an overwhelming amount of bodies clashing against each other with their full id unleashed; incest, murder, suicide, sex, fights, panic attacks, over doses — we see how a few spiked drinks can turn a night into a nightmare, with the culprit right under our nose the entire time. If you are able to find a frequency in the static, you’ll likely see it a head of time, but the twist hit me so hard it sent me back to my childhood. You know those really dark PSA’s like the WSIB ones? That’s what Gasper Noé films reminds me of; particularly ones like Irreversible, this one striking closer to the *Sandy Hook ones than anything else. By that I mean, if you aren’t paying close enough attention, once the director makes you aware you sorta feel like a dumbass, almost upset because to an extent events like these feel preventable; because they are. Call me paranoid, but there’s a reason I don’t take drinks at parties, because sadly people can get one great idea to — that’s all it takes, really. When you see these films relay this message so flamboyantly, you’re inevitably going to turn some heads because it’s “unrealistic.” However, I’d argue something a bit bombastic & chaotic works a lot better than this film, since like the aforementioned Irreversible; *this film isn’t surreal; it’s on the ground; muddy, smelly, brutal, yet strangely hypnotic; a seemingly inescapable trance. This movie is just barely feature length, but because of this fact feels like an eternity. It’s an experience that can be deadly if you aren’t careful. But that’s the brilliant part. I don’t need to tell you the cinematography, unique lighting, very subtle editing, & performances are good. We all know Gasper thrives on the technical side of things; but that’s almost all we can agree on honestly. But in my opinion, narratively, the subversion of character arcs with an emphasis on thematics in relation to behavior allows for a more complex character study than a traditional narrative that they would tell you to conjure in film school; because at the end of the day there is no true structure to films, or stories at all; it’s a gorgeous tree growing from the seed of philosophy; your philosophy that is so you. This is very Gasper; the passion radiates so intensely I honestly would like to pay for the therapy myself. Nonetheless, sorry to be so vague overall; between me not having fully collected this experience & not wanting to spoil it I just lack anything extensive to say about the plot because it’s as simple as the synopsis. If you can handle this, please check it out, it’s an experience that I believe everyone needs to witness to understand the true power of drugs. This is my horror. Not a guy in a mask. Not an alien. Not a creepy doll. Nor a ghost. This is the true Climax of fear.