Challengers

Well, this is the most unexpected 5 star rating I've given. Initially when Challengers was announced it was difficult to watch the trailers in the theater. It looked like a guaranteed cringe fest - something for girls to talk about for months, two sweaty men in a tennis fueled love triangle with Zendaya. I can confirm that it is exactly that and more. And it was awesome. Ninety percent of my enjoyment comes from the shockingly good film making. I couldn't believe just how well this was put together. The extremely simple premise is significantly elevated by the presentation. I loved how the time jumped around from past and present between sets of the final tennis match. The parallels in intensity between the match and the drama was such a clever and effective way to make the story engaging. Even though the runtime is over two hours it felt like one and a half. I couldn't care less about tennis, but the cinematography made it seem so intense. Some of the shots were so crazy that I thought "they definitely didn't have to go that hard", but the film is all the better for it. The aerial views, the underground shots, and especially the first person tennis ball rally were very creative. I'd be lying if I said I didn't flinch every time the ball flew at the screen. I'm wasn't familiar with Mike Faist or Josh O'Connor, but they kind of made this film. Zendaya was great, but we already knew she was going to be. She plays an over obsessed tennis play/coach very well. Her script makes her absolutely abhorrent, but she owns it. She's giving her A-game. Having never seen the two men before it made me believe their characters more. They have a relationship that's unlike anything I've seen in a film. It's hostile, heated, and even funny at times. Everyone in Challengers is pathetic and so despicable half of the scenes feel like you're watching something you shouldn't. Yet it works. The music is incredible. It's another element that could have stopped at suitable but was kicked up a few more notches. The electrifying tennis theme is guaranteed to get your head bobbing. The few already existing songs are odd choices, but they fit the vibe the film is going for. All of that said, I can completely understand why someone would think this is overrated. If you look at it on a surface level and don't respect the various analogies and symbolism I'm sure it comes of as hyperromantic, raunchy slop. Tennis to many, myself included for quite a while, comes off as a bit of a silly sport. With that combination it's no wonder that many people didn't like it. I was on the fence at first about giving this a 4.5 mainly because of Zendaya. I wasn't sure about her characters motivations beyond being a master manipulator. The end was satisfying enough for me to change my thoughts and paid off in such a way to solidify my 5 star rating. This may change over time, but for now it's an excellent film that far surpassed my expectations. Lists: *2024 Ranked & Favorite Films* Last Review: *Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes*