From Deseret News archives:
Irreversible
Film review
In fact, with its unflinching and graphic sexual and violent content (including the much-discussed, nearly 10-minute rape scene), this "urban-horror" film could be accused of being "art-porn." For one thing, it lingers when it shouldn't and long after the point's already been made.
But perhaps the biggest problem here is that its characters are as repellent and uninteresting as large portions of the film itself. And yes, the rumors are true, the film does unfold backward, "beginning," if you will, with the end credits.
That's about as much of the movie as most audiences will want to see, though. This is one of those "emperor's new clothes" situations. Once you strip away all the artistic pretensions and the showy storytelling methods, all that's left is a fairly standard revenge yarn.
The material is definitely shocking, but it's not nearly as deep as writer-director Gaspar Noe apparently believes it is. Then there are his pretensions about being the next Stanley Kubrick. (We get the point, Gaspar, you didn't have to show us the "2001" poster to prove it!)
It's difficult to judge the quality of the performances because the characters are so underdeveloped as to be caricatures, especially Cassel's Marcus, who is downright unlikable.
"Irreversible" is not rated but would certainly receive an NC-17 rating for brutal scenes of violence (beatings), excessive use of strong sex-related profanity and crude sexual slang terms, full male and female nudity, a lengthy scene depicting rape, graphic gore, simulated sex and sex acts (both gay and straight), simulated drug use (cocaine) and racial epithets. Running time: 95 minutes.
E-MAIL: jeff@desnews.com
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Cast: Vincent Cassel, Monica Bellucci, Albert Dupontel; in French and Spanish, with English subtitles
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