Débordement

Premise: Not-so-successful writer seeking inspiration for his next book travels to a La Tolqa, a fictional Eastern-bloc country set on what appears to be the Black Sea. He quickly is sucked into socializing with a group of Western tourists who have discovered a quirk in the host country's legal system: Any crime you commit in the host country can be "redeemed" with a large payment to the local officials and a type of ceremony where a doppelgänger of the criminal is created and then executed in place of the "real" self.

In short, the heart of the horror is a sort of reverse-Dorian Gray where morally repugnant acts are carved-off as a separate entity and then destroyed, leaving the perpetrator to indulge in further acts of depravity.

So, what is left of the "real" self in such an arrangement? (If you have seen "Possessor," the thematic preoccupation is very similar.)

The two central characters are Skarsgard's "James" and Goth's "Gabi." From the beginning, James proves himself to be an empty vessel who is more than willing to be towed out to sea by the beguiling (and increasingly cruel) siren Gabi. Despite the presence of his wife at the resort, James abandons any loyalties he might have to her or her own concerns with what is going on. And, in contrast to newcomer-James, Gabi's social circle appears to have existed in this bizarre world of excess and violent privilege for, well, forever. Yet, they seem to effortlessly enter and exit that world at will (back to Los Angeles, of course!).

But what about James? What he becomes and where he ends up in the closing segments are far from clear. (Emptier than what he already was? A shell of a shell?).

"Infinity Pool" is a confident but cold movie. It reminds me quite a bit of the cult-group/occult horror movies that were made circa 1969-1974. The film uses quite a bit of arthouse-style flash imagery (the hues are different, but I was reminded of Norm Li's work in Panos Cosmatos' films). And despite the events taking place on a linear narrative, they are nonetheless sometimes difficult to follow due to Cronenberg's cinematic choices. In short, I can understand the polarizing reviews. I myself have mixed feelings. The film is very well done, the acting top-notch, and Cronenberg certainly attempts much more than the average horror flick director. But the "point" of the film is not always clear . . . And I felt like soaking in Dawn after viewing it. Recommended, with an asterisk.

This is a great film to get lost in, and experience the story and it's main character, Skarsgard. I do love original films, and early in the piece, it was so cool, not knowing where the film was going, but later on, in the last 40 minutes, we have moments of predicability. I found this a fun shock movie, where we have some scenes. Which are truly memorably bizarre, the final one, a scene of normality, staying in my mind the most. This is one of these films, that lingers in the memory, days after you see it. It has strobing. 180 degree turn shots, a daunting music score, cloning, and sexy Mia Goth, really playing her part to the hilt. One X rated sex shot we could of done without. Brandon Cronenberg (David's) has definitely created something originally appealing and engrossing, but it gets too ludiicrous and crazy in it's second half. Some of the bloodletting scenes, are pretty heavy. Definitely recommended, but be warned.

James Foster is a one-novel author struggling with writer's block. He and his wife Em are vacationing at a resort on the idyllic, isolated isle of Li Tolqa, where their marital woes cause constant arguments. After meeting Gabi, a fan of his novel, and her husband Alban, James and Em venture outside the boundaries of the resort, where the two couples enjoy a drunken day of sunbathing. However, their dream vacation soon turns into a nightmare after an accident occurs, plunging James into a dark underworld of debauchery and excess. As he battles a twisted justice system, a bizarre cult and his own deepest fears, will James escape, or be trapped on the island ad infinitum?

Written and directed by Brandon Cronenberg, 'Infinity Pool' is an ambitious, headily atmospheric psychological horror that doesn't quite go the distance. Initially intriguing, then frustrating, and finally exasperating, the screenplay tries to balance too many different elements, failing at nearly all of them. Though the film tries to explore some interesting themes of identity, morality and escapism, they are not fully developed or resolved; coming across as rather half-baked.

Additionally, the surreal seediness of the first act- which draws one in brilliantly- does not sit well with the rote science fiction and action-oriented elements of the last two. A cloning sub-plot is both poorly explained and executed, and the denouement is anticlimactic and cliched. Cronenberg's characterisation is rather shallow, to boot, and the main character is largely unsympathetic. James is neither likable nor relatable, and his motivations and actions are often illogical and inconsistent.

With 'Infinity Pool', Cronenberg has created a surreal and distinct world, but fails to do anything interesting with it narratively. Conversely, the film is a visual delight, boasting striking cinematography from Karim Hussain, who uses analog methods in a digital medium to create its disturbing, dreamlike visual style. Hussain also employs unusual framing and lenses to express James' emotional turmoil, as well as the duality between the paradise-like resort and the hellish underworld of the island. 'Infinity Pool' is stunning, with vibrant colours, rich textures and grand compositions drawing the viewer into Cronenberg's horrific environment.

Furthermore, Tim Hecker's score adds to the film's eerie and unsettling atmosphere, and James Vandewater's editing is continuously adept. 'Infinity Pool' also boasts a fine central performance from Alexander Skarsgård, who makes the most out of Cronenberg's scant characterisation of James. Mia Goth also does strong work as the seductive and mysterious Gabi, though her tendency for overacting- which made her so appealing in 'X' and 'Pearl'- hampers the impact of her performance somewhat.

A disappointing waste of potential that leaves the viewer unsatisfied and confused, 'Infinity Pool' could- and probably should- have been much better than it is. Despite some interesting ideas and a strong first act, Cronenberg's narrative is unengaging and familiar. Though the cinematography is consistently alluring, the film is not, and the commendable efforts of Alexander Skarsgård and Mia Goth do little to keep one's interest held. In the end, perhaps the best one can say about 'Infinity Pool' is that it doesn't go on forever.

This type of movie is shock value and that's it.

There is no value in the story and or the attempt at scares.

Big budget , great acting , fancy editing and bizarre sequences, but this movie really goes no where .kinda like it's characters in the plot.

I guess when all the good ideas have been used the only thing left is shock and gore .

Sad no one spends the time to think things out and develop a scary story and use atmosphere and tension .

This movie has atmosphere and tension but it's of the lower kind .

I miss great hope like the Changeling , and Exorcist ( which used shock and gore but in a much effective way) .

If this movie is trying to say something it's that people with connections and money get away with murder .

This film totally misses it's mark. It tries so hard to be bizarre and abstract but ends up being pretentious and annyoing. I honestly have no idea why people like this film. I could barely get through it and honestly couldn't wait for it end. I normally like Mia Goth films but this one didn't do it for me. She was super cringe in this. Especially in the scene where she's riding on the front of the car. Her screeching voice almost made my head explode. How this film has a rating above six stars is beyond me. This is definitely not a film I'd recommend or torture myself by sitting through again. 4 stars.