What did you guys think of the french film "irreversible" SPOILERS

breadbin

i just watched it and i think i enjoyed it. the rape scene was a bit tough to watch but wouldn't go so far as puking during it. the underground gay club, i thought was terrifying. the camerawork was good too inducing nausea when it was needed.

i just wonder if it wasn't spliced together backwards would it be better or worse?

i mean like when pierre beats your man to a pulp with the extinguisher its so early on that we don't empathise with him enough whereas if we seen the whole film from the other way round we'd be cheering him on!! not to mention its not even the right guy which i suppose is the biggest thing i disliked about it.

but saying that i did enjoy the second half where it showed the normality and humanity of the characters. was different.

Sad Professor

Well, I think that’s the point. To begin with the violence and vengeance, disgust us with it, before showing the act that provoked it, before going back even further and showing the full extent of the destruction. It’s the most effective use of reverse narrative I’ve ever seen in a film.

Warper

Very good film. Few scenes quite disturbing but i think you know that before you watch it. The nightclub scene is particularly visceral.

D-FENS

Not many other films I've seen show the horrible underbelly of society quite like it, certainly puts the bed the romance of Paris for me. Brilliantly disturbing.

Aul Pierre could show the Mountain from GOT a thing or two about popping skulls too.

TerrorFirmer

The nightclub scene is horrific, that will never leave me. I think it's hands down the most brutally disturbing thing I've seen in film. The realism is sickening.

Good movie though and served well by the reverse narrative in my opinion.

krudler

Great but horrible film, the opening is stomach churning, the rape scene is even worse. It's one of those films where you feel genuinely angry watching it. The camerawork is genuinely amazing in it though, and brilliantly done how it goes from utterly chaotic during the aftermath (well the precursor in the film's narrative sense) to the rape scene and then calms down as the film progresses, ending in long still shots when it's earlier in the day and they're both happy.

It's clever how on a repeated viewing you probably feel worse knowing how the film is going to end, but there's still a sense of relief when you get there.

breadbin

yeah i thought the camerawork was amazing. i loved the first scene with the cops and the camera flyng around in the air focussing on the lovely brickwork.

for the first half of the film its really dark and towards the end the mood and the environment lightens. the characters are fantastic, and the way they open up to us too is fantastic. pierre - the quiet one who is looking after everyone ends up exploding with rage. marcus who we see as a bit of a hot-head but towards the end is gentle, bit of a dick at the party and poor alex why did she have to leave the party on her own goddammit.

i thought it was gas how the prostitute sid to her to take the underpass - it's much safer!

Ole Rodrigo

Its a film that stayed with me for a while and I don't think I'd ever watch it again. Afterwards I watched the ' making of ' on youtube to sort of re-register the nightclub scene as being a mix of prosthetics and digital editing rather than the real thing. I think my brain thought it was witnessing a real murder.

Technically brilliant film making and I watched most of Noes other films after it. I'd not be keen to watch any of those again either though.

crybaby

amazing film and think it captures the essence of male pride really well, Cassell wants to be the hero that avenges his girlfriend but in reality he's shaking, terrified and ends up getting his arm snapped in two.

ButtersSuki

Folks, maybe use the spoiler function for those who haven't seen this?

The film itself? An astonishing piece of cinema and one that despite the brutality, deserves a wider audience and repeat viewings as I think on your first viewing you miss so much as you're so uncomfortable - everything from the camerawork to the audio is designed to make you feel ill at ease and nauseous. I've watched it a few times now and the extras on the special edition (incl. a commentary by Noè) are worth watching too if you're into that kind of thing.

As a side note, the soundtrack is made by Tomas Bangalter (one half of Daft Punk) for those into French house and is an interesting journey in itself.

Sad Professor

ButtersSuki wrote: »

Folks, maybe use the spoiler function for those who haven't seen this?

The OP put a spoiler warning in the thread title.

ButtersSuki

Sad Professor wrote: »

The OP put a spoiler warning in the thread title.

Yes, I know that and saw that but it still is the norm to use the function. I've seen it more than once so it doesn't affect me, but I'm sure others would /might appreciate it.

sabat

Pretentious exploitative French **** underpinned by undergraduate philosophysing.

ButtersSuki

sabat wrote: »

Pretentious exploitative French **** underpinned by undergraduate philosophysing.

So you liked it then? :D

Ole Rodrigo

sabat wrote: »

Pretentious exploitative French **** underpinned by undergraduate philosophysing.

I'd have to say this point of view is something I'd lean towards.

Ultimately, Noe is saved by his technical skills.