Not For Everyone

Rating: 10/10 (5 January 2020)

At last I have to review this film. Let me start by saying that it is the most engrossing film I have ever seen. I saw Noe's "Enter the Void" and I've seen plenty of disturbing films, but none quite as raw as this. I thought I could never watch this again, after the first viewing, but I love the opening dance scene so much (I've watched it at least a dozen times and it never gets old) that recently again I was compelled to watch to the end with my jaw on the floor. It was as insanely gripping as the first time.
I judge films primarily by how well they allow me to suspend disbelief. "Climax" - after the puzzling but still disturbing opening scene before credits - starts a little banal, straight up interviews with dancers, predictable questions, mostly predictable answers, but stay with it because it is integral to how the film develops. Then at about 9m is the amazing dance scene. My son is a break dancer so I love this kind of dance. The dance is quintessentially French - unrefined, raw, sexy, chaotic, dirty, sweaty, unbelievably talented. The whole film has that French feel to it - the women don't give a damn and are all the sexier for it. Only Ebert's review notes that this entire 6 minute dance sequence is shot in one take, no cuts to make it more energetic. It is quite energetic enough. But this is an important distinction. This film was made with uncompromising devotion.
By this time I adore all the dancers, but now we hear them talking to each other privately and revealing shocking attitudes that they usually keep private. There is no filter here and no moral compunction. I start to lose my affection for most of them, but now they are human, not just dancing paragons. I also start to get sucked in and forget I am sitting in darkness watching a film. By the time "something is kicking in" I am completely lost in the film, no trace of disbelief, and I remain rapt until last frame.
I did a lot of acid back in the 60's and had some really bad trips but none this bad because I did not overdose. How do you behave when you are completely disoriented, terrified, and confused? The worst in you sometimes comes out. There are scenes where a character sees another character in severe physical and/or emotional distress but the watcher simply cannot handle it and moves on. Sober, any of them would have stopped to sympathize and help, but not in this hellish dystopia. They have lost all ability to connect cause with effect.
I've been there. A bad trip is as ugly as it gets, and this film portrays it perfectly. I can completely understand if a viewer who has never tripped doesn't get it, but I do, and I think I am Noe's target audience. Still, the educated viewer who can't appreciate the attention to detail about the bad trip can appreciate the detail and love with which this film was shot, and the talent of the dancers.
I felt that most reviews I read missed the point. This is not a film to be analyzed. It is not aimed at the left cortex. Observations about the camera work and acting are helpful but don't address the end effect the film has on the watcher. Bottom line: how did it make you feel? For me - severely disturbed, captivated, grief-filled, horrified, sad. To me that is the mark of a great film.
Other reviewers praise Sofia Boutella, who is amazing, but I think Romain Guillermic steals the show. There are scenes where those eyebrows are positively evil and sexy at the same time. But it is hard to pick a favorite, they are all so remarkable in this film.
Do I recommend it? I don't know. Noe is known for disturbing films and they are not for everybody. I hope you will watch it simply because something crafted this beautifully deserves to be appreciated.