Antichrist Movie Review

You know how they say the first ten minutes of a movie are the harbinger of things to come? The rule applies to art films as well. Let's take Lars Von Trier's latest film, Antichrist, The movie begins with gorgeous, slow motion black and white Willem Dafoe testes and an infant dying. If this disturbs and disgusts, I'm gonna go ahead and tell you that you will find Antichrist to be an intolerable experience, because that's merely the beginning of a long, harrowing, disturbing journey that is to follow. If you're intrigued, though, read on.

I can't really being to explain the story, as it exists to be interpreted more than be told as a story. The talking pictures are about Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg as He and She. Disturbed over the aforementioned death of their infant, they go to a cabin in the woods to work through the processes of grief, despair and pain. (Conveniently the names of the chapters the film is broken into). The cabin is located in an area known as Eden. He is analytical, clinical and detached by the death of his son. She is emotionally distressed, and expresses this through a lot of sex with Willem Dafoe. Barring this, she furiously masturbates.

Yeah.

Anyway, while in the woods, bizarre events begin to transpire as the couple works through their fears. Then, suddenly, the film switches gears and almost becomes something akin to Hostel, but that's far less enjoyable, especially if you're not a fan of genital mutilation.

One of the strongest aspects of the film are the extraordinary performances. I've never found Dafoe as compelling he is here, even though he has to be more clinical and cold and limit his emotional range. And Charlotte Gainsbourg is jaw-dropping as she reveals as much of her soul as her skin. (Although after this movie I feel I've seen more of her naked than her OB/GYN). She has a lot of the heavy lifting to do, especially with "women are evil" undertones, and she takes it to infinity and beyond. (I'm willing to bet I'm the only person to review Antichrist and quote Toy Story). Even if the film is divisive, you can't deny that there are two powerful performances anchoring it down. Along with some gorgeous photography, unusual for von Trier.

There is a lot going on in this movie that warrants discussion. It's full of bizarre imagery and symbols of faith, religion, fear, and possibly misogyny, depending on your point of view. Von Trier has made a film that's not easily accessible, but makes sense to him, which is one of the things to admire most about the film. Cineastes will have a blast trying to decipher this film, and more power to them. There's a lot to explore in this film, even if you don't particularly enjoy what you have to go through. One can even take this film as an unintentional comedy. There are many absurd moments that happen, like the constant acorns falling on the tin roof at night, and the delivery of the soon-to-be infamous "Chaos Reigns" line. (My personal favorite line, however, is "Acorns don't cry, you KNOW this!") One could fashion a drinking game based on the amount of times the couple has sex in the film. But I digress.

Make no mistake, this is not a horror film in the conventional sense. Antichrist here does not necessarily refer to Satan or demonology, as the title might make you believe, but the opposite of Christ. (Like anitpasto). It will inspire countless arguments as to the merits of a film, and what should be seen on a screen, and about von Trier's attitudes towards women, and that's what all interesting films do best: inspire questions long after the projector's gone dim. I didn't particularly like the movie, but I'm glad I saw it, and I'm even more glad that I don't ever have to see it again. Click Here to Contribute your Own Review.