Sin #38: Brutal Awakening

There are some scenes that simply stick in the mind like a haunting dream. Gaspar Noe’s “Irreversible” has a few that provoke disgust and fascination on equal measure (it has to be noted that this movie had the most walkouts of any film the year it was released).

“Irreversible” utilizes a backward narrative to tell a rather simple revenge story that ends (or rather begins) with true irony. The film starts with a series of strobing lights blinding us and a manic movement of the camera that finally settles after a while. In its initial sequence a man enters a gay club and viciously attacks a man who he thinks raped his wife. This scene is astonishing in its use of special effects to simulate an uncut shot of stunning brutality. Then there’s the infamous 10 minute rape scene (with a static camera that morbidly observes and becomes a passive bystander) that also uses computer effects to enhance the cruelty of the moment.

As the movie progresses we realize that the deep sadness and hate starts turning gradually into a naïve sense of happiness; the couple enjoys energetic and loving sessions of sexual intimacy (actors Vincent Cassell and Monica Bellucci are married in real life) and when the movie is over we reflect on how good and ordinary people can become victims of violence and turn themselves into monsters of the society that failed to protect them.

It’s been a while since I saw “Irreversible”, but its power stayed with me long after its screening. It is not an easy movie to digest and its cruel imagery and powerful performance make it resonate beyond any conventional drama.

Recently I saw another powerhouse of a movie called “Martyrs” that also starts out as a revenge thriller and later becomes a psychological horror movie of astonishing cruelty and difficult moral implications. It evolves from its themes of child abuse and torture into a demented and operatic play with spiritual undertones.

This movie also uses pretty sophisticated special effects to convey very graphic scenes of mutilation and leaves us pretty shaken up with a conclusion that defies logic and enters the realm of diabolical fanatism.

Both “Martyrs” and “Irreversible” are French movies that go beyond any possible genres; they don’t believe in formulas or “happy endings” and their audiences are so specific that it’s a wonder they even get made (most audiences would find them cruel and repulsive). But they are works that go for the fences and whose images haunt the subconscious.