Titane

I am speechless!

Erm......seriously I have no idea what i just watched?

This has got to be one of the most unusual, disturbing, weird and completely bonkers film that I've seen in a while. The first 30 minutes of the film are the best for me, felt more a "standard" horror/thriller setup. However this film takes so many bizarre twists and turns which I'm not sure all worked. Trust me you have a lot of questions after seeing this film.

Visually stunning I must say though and I love the fact that this is a really ballsy film, 100% original for that matter!! However I think it might have helped if now and then it was just a little boring or normal hahaha!

I mean its an experience I wont forget but then again I wont rush to see this film again any time soon, I think I need to let my brain process this all. I completely understand why a lot of people would hate this film, it really is not for everyone!!

70% out of 100, I'm stunned and shocked how this turned out and the fact that someone thought of this idea for a film.........are they ok? Hahahah!!

Most years, I start with a desire to see a wider variety of films at the cinema than previously. Usually it doesn't last, but it was in this spirit that I went to see Palme D'or winner "Titane" as it was released in UK cinemas. Even having had a couple of days to ruminate on it, I'm not sure exactly how I feel about it.

Having suffered a terrible car accident as a child, Alexia (Agathe Rousselle) now dances seductively at motor shows to an appreciative audience. Following a violent encounter with a fan, she returns to the building and has sex with one of the cars. She flees the town, changing her appearance and binding her body, claiming to be the long-lost son of firefighter Vincent (Vincent Lindon). Vincent tries to reach his "son" with various acts of kindness, but the physical act of binding her body is taking a toll on Alexia, that only worsens as she discovers she's pregnant.

I suppose the key questions are thus. Did I enjoy "Titane"? No. I don't think I was necessarily supposed to though. It's a hard film. The juxtaposition of the fantasy elements of the first 30 minutes and the, occasionally quite touching, scenes between Vincent and Alexia is stark. There's certainly a version of this film that could entirely ignore the idea that literally she has sex with a car, that would work just as well, but this isn't that. Which leads me to believe that the car aspect must mean something, but if it does, I didn't get it. This leads me to my second question, did I then get an insight into something? Again, not really. Darren Aranofsky's "mother!" was a similarly tough watch, but at least I came to get that it was allegorical. I don't feel like "Titane" can make a similar claim, indeed I've read an interview with Julia Ducournau that explicitly says that it's a fairy story and your supposed to accept the events happened as laid out.

This is not to say that I felt the film was entirely without merit. The performances are really good, particularly from Agathe Rousselle in what is her first feature film. The body horror elements are well done and at the very least you can't argue with Ducournau's singular vision for the film. There are little touches in the background of the story, that suggest a bigger narrative that you're not explicitly seeing, and I do like that faith in the audience to pick up on that. The connection between Vincent and Alexia is interesting. I suspect he knows from the start that it's not his son that he's bringing home, but he's so destroyed by grief he is happily blind to it.

I am, as you might be able to tell from the review, conflicted about my feelings about the film, but still thinking about it days later.

I don't really know what I just watched. It was incredibly weird, but nevertheless watchable. In fact, I might even go as far as to say it was mesmerizing.

I'm sure there were some really deep themes, of which I could glean only a handful. But maybe that's a lacking in myself. These themes - as far as I could make out - include love and loss, rage, psychosis, and identity. Even a slight hint of incest.

But there are still a couple of pretty pertinent things that remain a mystery. Big mysteries!

I would recommend this film to those who want to lose themselves in one woman's psychedelic / psychotic journey, or for those who enjoy analyzing and could possibly apply meaning to scenes and images that I don't think were included for fun, but which I can't work out.

Nevertheless, I would recommend people check it out - if only for the originality and creativity. It won't be for everyone. It starts off rather sedately and then gets deeper and deeper into the bizarre. Personally, I love cinema that pushes boundaries and dares to be different - even if it fails, which this one definitely doesn't.

So be brave. Try something new. Expect to be challenged, and perhaps even a little offended, and definitely expect to see something different.

And I can't sign off without congratulating the performance of the two leads - Agathe Rousselle and Vincent Lindon. Both did brilliant jobs, especially Agathe since this was her feature film debut.

From the opening scene, Titane continuously doubles down on its own outrageous absurdity until it suddenly pulls back. You go from watching a thriller, to body horror, to something that has a lot to say about what it means to be family. Specifically, what it means to be family in action, not just by blood or oil. Titane somehow addresses gender fluidity, the role of parents to support and accept, the male ego slipping as bodies and testosterone age away, and the opportunity to choose a family not given to you by birth all while bombarding the screen with gore and squirm inducing violence. You find you cannot look away from these disturbing images partly because of how beautifully Titane presents them and partly because they all have something to say. Even though the film may retreat too far from its own deliriousness in the second half, it comes speeding back just in time for a finale that will have you guessing until its last push. Strap in because Titane is one hell of a ride.

Well, lots of female nudity.

Unlike Grave, a movie i like a lot with it story that make sense in it own logic, this one didnt connect wt me.

I am surprise at the high score on imdb for this one.

Again, i would recommend you watch Grave first. Maybe Titane will be appreciate better by female audience as the director/writer also is.

Like a revewer said, the ridiculous dancing scene without the belly prostetic is done without care.

I have see many movies in horror genre, some done much better story and execution wise. This is should not be a Palm D'or level winner as a product, maybe as a booster for it director and recognition to Vincent Lindon .