Antichrist (2009)

After a terrible loss, couple retreat into their secluded house in the woods for recovery. Do you think it works? Neither did I.

What first shocked me was that its premise (and initial sequence) is nearly identical to 1973's unsurpassable masterpiece Don't Look Now. The whole film is immersed in structures which populated most of Bergman's films after 1966 (maybe even before that, but I simply haven't seen all those films). One novelty about Antichrist is that it is much more no-holds-barred when it comes to physical manifestations of its characters, be they of a lusty or of a violent nature (or a combination thereof). Another film which is structurally related to it is The Shining, in the apparent connection of secludedness and madness and in some not so apparent ways too, as in the backstory of Her previous stay at the country house. The central duo of actors do a terrific job, and I would go as far as saying that they would make viewing the film justifiable even if there were no other compensations. One particularity which sets this film apart from its filmic relatives is the choice of the female as the mad character, a fact which lends it some novelty and thus makes it interesting. It is a distinctively watchable film, especially at its really hallucinatory climax involving a driller, a metal weight, and a fox hole.

Rating: 55