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Upcoming Release Calendar
38
12 Rounds Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.
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Irreversible
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MPAA RATING: Not Rated
Starring Monica Bellucci, Vincent Cassel, Albert Dupontel, Philippe Nahon, Jo Prestia, Stéphane Drouot, Jean-Louis Costes, and Mourad Khima
A dark revenge drama about a woman who is brutally raped and the retribution her boyfriend exacts.
| GENRE(S): | Suspense/Thriller |
| WRITTEN BY: | Gaspar Noé |
| DIRECTED BY: | Gaspar Noé |
| RELEASE DATE: |
DVD: August 5, 2003 Video: August 5, 2003 Theatrical: March 7, 2003 |
| RUNNING TIME: | 95 minutes, Color |
| ORIGIN: | France |
| LANGUAGE(S): | French (with English subtitles) |
Original French title "Irréversible"; Winner, Bronze Horse, 2002 Stockholm Film Festival
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
The average user rating for this movie is 6.8 (out of 10) based on 26 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
John O gave it a0:
At the film's conclusion I was just left asking myself what the point was. There was no discernible justification for the brutality that I could see. Whatever argument Noe was trying to make is lost in his complete contempt for the audience. If, as he claims, he is so influenced by Kubrick, I suggest he stop throwing his rattle out of the pram and start posing his arguments with a little more maturity and reason.
D. Cabral gave it a0:
Bad. Not a Drama genre, more like horror exploitation like Last House on the Left. Sometimes less is more, Noe knows this when it comes to art so featuring 2 over the top horrendously VIOLENT scenes rather than the entire movie featuring scene after scene of cruel vicious, imagery. This will leave you with a worst impact since exploitation films try too hard to do what this one accomplishes. Why can this one accomplish its shock? Because the film is targeting an audience that are not fans of such "films."
Tyler C. gave it a0:
This is just simply a horrible french remake of Momento, which came out a year before this stupid film did, and was a hundred times better than this was.
duf d. gave it a10:
I'm giving it a 10 because it was so distinct, but part of the film's distinction is that numbers don't apply to it. I really don't care whether the film meant anything or if it supposedly made some point about time destroying everything. What I cared about was that it was a different kind of watch, it went about making a film in a different way, that it serves as a kind of reference point. The disorienting and violent effects made cinematic sense as the movie progressed. And it's a very well made movie. Why can't art be a slap in the face once in a while? There's plenty of Hollywood movies with sexy violence, this violence was truly horrifying. What's more honest?
holy wood gave it a9:
Unforgettable!
Andrew M gave it a 7:
Over the past couple of months I have written many (let me stress this) 'amateur' reviews on this site. Like, I am sure, a lot of people, the films I had only just watched the night before and therefore were still fresh in my mind. I watched Irreversible over a week ago and, to put it mildly, it is still garden fresh in my mind! I have been thinking about it all week and trying to decide exactly how I feel / felt about it. My answer: I dunno, still. Hopefully in writing this I will become a little clearer myself. I have copped out a little by giving it a 7 - at different times over the past few days it has been both a 10 and a 2. Anyway, I will just natter a little here about a couple of points, rather than trying to dissect it and probe too deeply. Well... firstly, I have never ever seen violence so graphically, realistically and confrontationally depicted on the screen before. It was absolutely demanding to watch. It was utterly appalling. It was completely remarkable. I am, of course, referring to those two particular and much-discussed scenes. The revenge and the rape. Technically, the revenge scene is extremely impressive filmmaking. I am so glad they included on the dvd a short featurette of the SFX in the film, otherwise I would have been convinced I was watching an actual snuff movie! Simply put, it's that real. In a Hollywood film, the camera would have jumped around, in-out, top-bottom, showing you a sped-up montage of the attack, before fading or cutting to whatever followed. Not so these French fellows. Bang - the camera stops - and you just watch! Afterwards, if you're like me, you'll reach down between your feet and pick your jaw up off the floor. I'm not going to moralise and say whether it was necessary - I just want to say it was brilliantly done, and horrendously powerful. Next, the rape scene. Words can't describe how I felt after witnessing it. I say 'witness' because that's exactly how I felt. For ten loooong minutes I ceased to be a viewer, and I became a witness! I have read that some people become physically sick watching this scene. I dismissed that, thinking they must simply be a little timid or weak about such strong scenes on film. Well, I was wrong. After watching it, I found myself sweating, shaking a little, and generally feeling unwell all over. I had to stop the film, go to the bathroom and splash water on my face. Over the years, I have seen most of the classic horror films and many many films depicting strong violence. Never have I reacted so to any one scene! It is just that hideous and cruel. Words can't describe. The worst part for me is the last couple of minutes or so, when the rapist's rage really explodes and the attack turns to battery. What he does will stay in my mind for a long time. And it's only fictional!!! Like the revenge scene Noe stops the camera dead, lowers it the floor, putting you face-to-face with animal and victim, insisting that you simply just watch! Again, think how Hollywood would have handled it... Just a couple of other points... 1) the camera work in the first half hour is particularly dizzying, almost nauseating. I didn't like it, but now grudgingly admit it was suitable for the scenes, and actually supported the film's assertions. But, boy, it was hard to watch. I had to look away many times just to alleviate the spinning of my eyes... 2) there was a scene depicting racism in the film - it was totally unnecessary and did not serve the plot nor theme of the work...please explain Mr Noe!?... 3) on a positive note, there is no doubt Noe's decision to shoot the film backwards was the right one. Imagine if it ran chronologically! Clearly, it would have turned out much different and, indubitably, much weaker... 4) even with everything I have mentioned, the second half or so of the film is a joy to watch. The camera relaxes, the lights go up, the settings become infinitely more appealing, the character emotions become more palatable, the script becomes untailored and somewhat improvisational... and all this really, really drives home the nightmare that is the first half. One must credit Noe. It is very skillfully made in many ways. The question is: did this film ever need to be made at all? Personally, I think it did. I honestly don't know if I will ever watch it again. I know I don't really want to...but I may still do so. What I do know is that it really is truly irreversible...hear me, for once you watch it, you will never ever forget it!
Peter O. gave it a 5:
If you are a sado-msochist you will enjoy this movie. The brutal rape scene depicted in the movie was too long for my taste. The exceessive violence was ialso n poor taste. The movie was banned in a lot of countries then the decisions got reversed to be shown in art houses. A revenge murder movie along with a brutal rape scene; I have never seen such a shocking movie like this before. I was apalled at the terrible camara work, you will get dizzy as there is no focus throughout the movie.
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