Antichrist

From the genius that is Lars von Trier comes this brutal, heart-wrenching horror drama about pain, grief and despair.

Anyone who has experienced the loss of a child should look away because von Trier's melodrama cuts to the core; to the raw emotions that one feels when such a tragedy happens. And it's not a pretty sight.

Following the funeral of his son Nick, who fell to his death while his parents had sex (watch out, its graphic), Willem Dafoe's emotionless therapist takes his wife (Charlotte Gainsbourg) to their cabin in the woods in a bid to get over her grief.

But Eden, the name they have given to this sanctuary, is a place the wife has grown to fear. So her husband uses his therapist skills to get to the root of problem, which all harks back to something terrible that happened the summer before.

What follows is a surreal nightmare, filled with potent imagery, as the wife descends into the black hole that fills her soul.

Von Trier's Antichrist is no joy to watch, but its totally compelling. The way he makes nature appear foreboding, even supernatural is quite a feat. And by incorporating dreams into the narrative (à la Un chien andalou), he creates an almost spectral presence out of the seemingly normal (do acorns really cry?).

The graphic scenes, which drew gasps of horror when the film was screened at Cannes earlier this year, will truly make you wince. But no more so than if you have ever sat through Ai no corrida (1976), which parallels this film in its portrayal of obsession.

In fact, watching von Trier's graphic melodrama, other intensely personal films are brought to mind, including most of Bergman's canon, especially Hour of the Wolf, as well as more modern fare like The Shining and Misery (though much more shocking).

Charlotte Gainsbourg (who actually dresses like Shelley Duvall's character in The Shining in one scene) delivers her lines as though she was reading them; all stilted and flat. But her performance comes from the emotion she feels from within. Hers is a totally physical performance.

As for Defoe, he holds all the emotion in, but gives an equally physical performance - especially in the last half of the film (DIY experts take note, always keep a spare wrench to hand).

If you think von Trier went berserk with Dogville and Manderlay, then Antichrist is the director taking one more step over the precipice. Is this cinema on the very edge or just an art house travesty? Are you brave enough to judge for yourself?

Chaos Reigns! This is the Freudian message given through a talking fox. Yes welcome to the wonderful film that is Antichrist. I can't make my mind up if this was an intriguing sinister horror/thriller yarn or a self-righteous art house film? Clearly after watching a couple of frames of the opening prologue, shot in slow motion black and white and accompanied by a soaring operatic soundtrack. I thought that I would be sitting through a pompous art house film. But it managed instead to touch a raw nerve. For any parent there can't be any bigger fear than that of the death of a child. Being a parent myself, I found the accident scene very hard to watch. Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg (simply known as He and She) spend time at an isolated cabin in 'Eden' to try and come to terms with the loss of their son. What follows is all very serious and bleak. But is an outstanding raw portrayal of the trauma of bereavement. We slowly see the couple descend into moments of anxiety, schizophrenia and madness. And eventually the desire to mutilate and kill. So come the third act, all hell breaks loose and it turns in to a horrific torture porno! Complete with self inflicted female circumcision and graphic sexual violence. Don't be fooled, this is way more explicit then anything churned out by Hollywood. I pride myself on being unshockable but even I found some of the scenes hard to watch. I have to say that the cinematography is beautiful and at times breathe taking. I not going to pretend that I got all the deep meaning messages or psychology. (I can't even categorise this film) All I know is that it's offensive and sanctimonious at times yes. But I dare you to watch this film and not be affected by it.

Movies are all about makings us feel something. And Antichrist does exactly that. It raises emotions like disgust and does it brilliantly. Not for the faint hearted, but a movie like no other.

Here we have an art house directors trip into the world of torture cinema, but its torture cinema with a twist. It's strictly a psychological thriller with some gruesome scenes, it has all the twists but a bit more flare and style about it.
The story is a rather simple one, following the death of their son the wife suffers a breakdown and husband Willem Dafoe, who happens to be a therapist decides to take the reigns.
The story is a slow burning journey into the human mind, into our own deepest and darkest fears, what drives those fears. The story is filled with metaphors and symbolization, everything has a meaning deeper than the obvious visual level.
Lars Von Trier's directing is superb, he brings us some brilliant visuals with breathtaking sound, you can't help but stay focused and locked into the story.
The gore and violence is quite extreme, there's not a massive amount but when it comes it's full on, and its no holds barred. Von Trier's directing remains tasteful throughout the mutiliation and torture scenes, he shows you just enough to get you cringing and doesn't over do it with excessive gore.

Overall: Antichrist is a dark and disturbing trip into the human mind, a very sexual and violent trip. At times the film borderlines on Hardcore Pornography so definitely not one for younger viewers.
Art House at its most extreme, I'd recommend it to anyone who likes to think outside the box

I was a bit worried about watching this, but I am glad I did. Although I personally found some scenes harrowing, this film is beautiful and elegant. This film is not traditional horror and don't bother if you're into John Carpenter/Romero/Raimi-esque horror, it is psychological, artistic and strange. I think it also depends on your level of understanding and imagination on how a person would digest it, you may watch it and be bemused or be left thinking about it for days, and wanting more. I would advise anyone who decides to watch this to do it in one sitting with no interruptions to ensure maximum effect and to create the perfect atmosphere to be transported into Lars's world. Enjoy !