Gasper Noe once again proves that he is the obstacle ruining his own films

Rating: Null/10 (8 June 2020)

Within Climax is an almost perfect film (I know that can be said of any film but it's more realised here). The idea is intriguing and really well executed. This also feels like a culmination of other Noe films and themes and styles he has tried before and getting them to work (Enter the Void and We F*** Alone being the most obvious) here. It's also on the shorter side which is another positive as previous films have fallen ill to the dreaded 2+ hour runtime.
The camera work is inventive and exciting and the lighting is dramatic and jarring, which pairs perfectly with the animalistic dancing and character actions. It also gels perfectly with the decent into drug induced hysteria that follows. There are also extended dance sequences and scenes where the camera tracks which are both styling and gripping.
The script also has many of the hallmark strengths of Noe's writing style, characters being abysmal to each other whilst not feeling forced or 'shocking for the sake of shocking'. The usual narcissistic characters are back, but in this setting it fits and is less grating than in previous films (such as Love).
However the weaknesses are still as present as ever; namely pretentiousness. The opening sequence is an interview with all the characters, which aside from being boring serves very little purpose as the following dance scene (which should have been the first shot) is a much more effective way of establishing them, as well as being more interesting. There are also scenes of characters talking, which is probably improvised, and having some banter, but is insufferable and largely about sex (not surprising). They may seem small, but they kill the momentum and engagement the film builds. However this is largely in the first half and the final 45 minutes or so are fantastic.
I recommend this film but highly recommend it with this small caveat; skip the first part (start the film on the overhead shot of the turntables) and when they're drinking sangria and talking, read the first few lines and then skip to the next pair until things start kicking off. With those steps skipped you'll have watched one of the most unique and visceral films made and be left wondering why Gasper Noe isn't considered one of the greatest directors ever. Without you'll have watched a unique and visceral film, but with some glaring floors.