Director Lars Von Trier delivers the most controversial film of the year as a couple retreats to Eden only to find their own hell on Earth.
I love it when there are comparisons made about movies, whether it is on the posters for the film or being pitched on an interview. You get great lines like its Psycho without the knife, or it's just like The Rocky Horror Picture show but with a Jane and a Buck. But with Antichrist there is no real comparison, it is nothing like you have quite seen before. It has been argued that it echoes the 1981 film Possession by Andrzej Zulawski. But I don't believe that to be true, as Antichrist is actually worth your time. Apart from an overtly intense performance from Sam Neil, Possession should only be consumed by the intoxicated and the dazed. Now for the divisive moment of the review - The film is directed by Lars Von Trier.
Now before embarking on Antichrist or any of Lars Von Trier's work, an individual should take a little bit of time to look into Lars Von Trier. I'm not saying delve into an infatuation filled research project on the man; that would be ridiculous and probably bad for your health. Just have a small read into his filmography and perhaps take in the sights of a few reviews. Make those reviews eclectic and you will begin to have an idea of what to expect. However you cannot fully prepare yourself for a Lars Von Trier film, but a bit of background knowledge will soften the visual punch to the gut.
Antichrist stars only two people - Charlotte Gainsbourg and Willem Dafoe. They remain nameless throughout the film, and are referred as only he or she in the credits. Without divulging into an inordinate amount of the plot, the two leads suffer a loss very early on in the film. As a result of this loss the couple retreat to their cabin in the woods...And that is all the plot you are getting from me. What I will add though is that Charlotte Gainsbourg's performance is quite literally breathtaking. It is otherworldly and both fascinating and terrifying in equal measures. This breathtaking performance also stands alongside some breathtaking cinematography. From beginning to end, the film looks absolutely beautiful. Although the film deals with very dark and disconcerting subject matter, some of the shots are works of art. And as a viewer you begin to question whether it is 'right' for you to be looking at something so crass with a sense of delight.
There are many scenes that will stick firmly in the mind. Ranging from an obtuse scene involving a fox, all the way to falling acorns that drench Willem Defoe, Antichrist does pack an erratic punch. It also contains the much-talked about scissors scene. A scene an arts and crafts presenter wouldn't dare dream of even after the 9 o'clock watershed. Scissors and the southern reaches of the female form are the only things that I dare reveal about this scene, anymore and the article may be removed by the remaining followers of Mrs Whitehouse. Although a number of scenes may be graphic they add to the experience that is Antichrist.
But let it be made clear that Antichrist is definitely not a movie for all occasions; it is especially not a Christmas family move. I warn against you asking the family to sit down after the meal to watch Antichrist. It is a film that is probably best suited watching alone, probably at night as you are in a fixed state of delirium before you fall asleep. Once you ticked all the needed criteria, place Antichrist into the DVD player and let it entwine into your conscience. Just be prepared to ask yourself after the film has concluded - What did I just watch? But hopefully that question is accompanied by an auspicious grin rather than a deathly frown.
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Lars von Trier's controversial exploration of depression, guilt and sexuality stars Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg as a couple grieving the death of their young son. The mother is initially admitted to hospital following the incident, but her husband - a therapist - insists on taking her to their remote forest cabin, 'Eden', and looking after her himself. Presented in four chapters with a prologue and epilogue, the film charts the often violent and disturbing course of the couple's anguish as they immerse themselves in nature and act out their deep suffering in a sequence of increasingly bizarre and brutal rituals.
Please note this is a region 2 DVD and will require a region 2 or region free DVD player in order to play. Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg play a grieving couple retreat to Eden , their isolated cabin in the woods, where they hope to repair their broken hearts and troubled marriage. But nature takes its course and things go from bad to worse... Following its award winning success at this year s Cannes Film Festival and explosive box office performance, one of the most controversial films ever to receive a cinema release in the UK finally makes it way on to the DVD and Blu-Ray SPECIAL FEATURES: Feature Commentary with Director Lars von Trier, Interview with Charlotte Gainsbourg, Interview with Willem Dafoe FEATURETTES The Evil of Woman, The Visual Style of Antichrist, The Make-Up Effects and Props of Antichrist, The Three Beggars, Eden, Confessions about Anxiety, The Sound and Music of Antichrist, The Antichrist Test, Behind the test, Antichrist Chaos Reigns at the Cannes Film Festival Actors: Willem Dafoe, Charlotte GainsbourgDirectors: Lars Von TrierFormat: PALLanguage: EnglishSubtitles: Danish, ItalianRegion: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe. Read more about DVD formats.)Aspect Ratio: UnknownNumber of discs: 1
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