James and Em Foster are enjoying an all-inclusive beach vacation on the fictional island of La Tolqa when a fatal accident exposes the resort’s perverse subculture of hedonistic tourism, reckless violence, and surreal horrors.
The oppressive sense of despair rooted at this film’s center guides its twisted moral decay story with almost comedic sensitivities. Brandon Cronenberg’s latest film focuses on the uber-wealthy vacationers patronizing a small resort on some makeshift Balkan Island. The film follows one man, unfamiliar with wealth, as he stumbles his way into the depraved world of several vacationers with a setup that asks questions only “White Lotus” would whisper in their sleep. “Infinity Pool” starts by unsettling the audience and slowly ratchets up the tension, twisting our perspective of the story until we’re left gutted with a finale that will stick in our brains forever.
Alexander Skarsgård plays failed author James Foster on vacation with his wealthy wife when he meets fan Gabi, who convinces the pair to go on a lethal double date with her and her husband, Alban. While driving his wife Em (Cleopatra Coleman) home, Foster accidentally runs over a local peasant. The following morning local government officials arrest him for murder and for fleeing the crime scene. In this fictional country, the punishment for major crimes is death, but to bolster tourism, the government officials offer Foster a way out: pay to have a complete replica of himself (with his memories) die on his behalf. At first, Foster exhibits horror at watching himself get stabbed to death by the victim’s thirteen-year-old son, but his mouth curves into a smile by the end. Back at the resort, Foster reunites with Gabi and her husband, who introduces him to other tourists who similarly watched their doppelgangers die. This group leads Foster down a path of utter moral decay when they realize they can pay to escape the punishment for any crime imaginable. In a more hedonistic and shocking version of “The Purge,” the wealthy elite lead James further and further down the rabbit hole until he’s succumbed to their whims, a pet monkey these vacationers trot out.
Brandon Cronenberg’s the heir apparent to his father’s legacy of gruesome, transgressive filmmaking. While his previous film, “Possessor,” erred on the side of brutal science fiction, this film settles more really in a universe we’re all familiar with. Its only major conceit is the creation of doppelgangers to take your place for capital punishment. Brandon Cronenberg’s never afraid to showcase the viscous, puerile, and gooey nature of the human body. This movie features blood oozing out of orifices, urine sprinkling over surfaces, and even one handjob scene that Gaspar Noé would be proud of.
The camera’s not only unflinching regarding disturbing and graphic content; it’s inquisitive. Throughout stilted dialogue scenes, the camera peers close at Skarsgård and Mia Goth’s faces, eyes, pores, beard hairs, etc. Everything about the camera work unsettles the audience. With discomforting headroom permeating every scene, the camera work has an impressive tonality. From the moment we start, the film never offers us a balanced frame of imagery. The world of the beautiful resort comes to us in gorgeous B roll but rotated clockwise or counterclockwise and running long enough that audiences might break their necks trying to level the frame. He’s literally turning the world upside down for us.
Cronenberg’s work deeply shocks audiences, but there’s no denying the artwork involved. He permeates the entire film with a dreamy atmosphere punctuated by sharp whistles and rumbling bass lines like a broken dryer on high. The dream sequences incorporate strobe-like edits of neon-soaked characters glistening in bodily fluids cross-cut with geometric patterns and literal melted faces. In perfect contrast, Cronenberg stages an elaborate orgy scene with the air of a high art piece. Its dichotomous tone further unsettles the audience and creates tension that only finds resolve by the absolute end.
To act in this movie is to be naked and covered in liquids. That’s the truth of it. Some may claim that makes the movie gratuitous and shocking, but neither Mia Goth nor Alexander Skarsgård is new to nudity in their work. Skarsgård especially bears the brunt of this film as his character drools, cums, pisses, punches, bleeds, screams, cries, and weeps out of almost every orifice. His descent from elegant (if a little stiff) writer into almost full-blown baboon feels intentional. We’re conscious of his degradation, and sure it’s planned from the start. Impressively, every actor holds this film together from what could otherwise be a ludicrous premise. If it weren’t for Skarsgård and Mia Goth giving it their all, the whole thing would feel both pretentious and sophomoric at best.
Brandon Cronenberg’s latest film asks the audience many questions. We’re familiar with the ‘entitled wealthy vacationers’ trope a la “White Lotus,” but “Infinity Pool” bears nothing in common with that show. What little comedy there is arrives in contrast so stark you’d be forgiven for laughing just off instinct. It’s anchored in strong performances despite its relatively viscous nature. Thankfully the film never feels one note. Sure the morally bankrupt rich people might prove monotonous, but this film continues to dive deeper into this world of Lotus Eaters. When they can get away with anything that drives their passion? For those of you with strong stomachs, I recommend you check it out. This movie’s an absolutely visceral experience with tons of ideas expressed. I left the screening feeling hollowed out and gutted. I’m sure others will too.
In Theaters Friday, January 27th
