Rape and revenge? More like revenge and rape
“IRREVERSIBLE” is a 2002 film directed by Gaspar Noé. What attracted me was definitely the very reddish cover/poster and a very enticing trailer (well done, without spoilers). What also intrigued me was the strange aura of discomfort that surrounds the film…
The plot of the movie, essentially, is really banal: it’s a kind of rape & revenge told in reverse. The plot, despite its disarmingly banality, was accompanied by a construction and stylistic choices that are truly peculiar.
I would like to list some of the film’s peculiarities: first of all, among the actors, we find Monica Bellucci and her ex-husband Vincent Cassel. The film’s scripts were not written almost at all: most of the dialogues are improvised (like the train scene), and considering the good presence of many long takes, you can imagine that it must have been quite complicated, although this has given a certain “familiarity” and almost “humanity” to the various scenes. Everything very concrete.
This movie hurts, really
I realize that I have let very little leak about my feelings towards this movie, although the title will probably make you imagine something already.
I find that this film leverages a type of horror that I am probably not used to. The feelings reminded me a bit of those I felt during the viewing of films like The Eyes of My Mother or The Poughkeepsie Tapes, but to tell the truth, with Irreversible, these feelings were clearly amplified. Perhaps because what is presented to us is part of a brutally real, very close and very current reality, I would dare to say.
I would like to point out two small curiosities, before delving into the theme that most concerns me. The film is shot in a very particular way, you can already infer from the title, but even better from the trailer and the beginning of the film. Basically, the film starts in reverse, that is, it starts from the end and arrives at the beginning. In fact, it starts with the credits.
Just after watching Irreversible, I immediately felt physical discomfort: I was nauseous. To tell the truth, I didn’t know why, in fact, I supposed it was due to “that famous scene that pops up as soon as you do a search on Irreversible“, but apparently instead, there are quite different reasons due to my post-film nausea.
Irreversible curiosities
Irreversible has some very particular shots, at some moments, it seems almost to assume our point of view, so we have kind of found footage shots, very confusing and messy, but I have to say, very well studied. Shots that worry about confusing you, but at the same time, they allow you to glimpse enough to make you curious and follow its movements closely. Movements that are truly crazy and confusing, that will make you have a headache, the credit goes to low frequencies.
Low frequencies (and in some cases infrasounds) were first used in 1970 to “amplify” the experience of certain films (such as “Earthquake” and “Rollercoaster”). Initially, a system called “Sensurround” was used, installed directly in cinemas, whose purpose was to reproduce these low frequencies, making the experience more immersive.
Low frequencies were also used in Irreversible and vary in a range from 22 to 36 Hz. These continuous oscillations (which can not be heard but physically “felt”) cause a sense of nausea, “motion sickness” or dizziness.
Quoting Gaspar Noè, “You can’t hear them, but they make you shiver. In a good cinema with a good audio system, the sound can scare you much more than what’s happening on the screen.” (source: IMDb, Dacia Owens)
Among the other curiosities that I would like to share, I would like to point out that Gaspar Noe, fearing that the film could be misunderstood as promoting hatred towards homosexuals, filmed himself as one of the men who masturbates in the Rectum.
Now, my experience with this movie (SPOILER!)
I personally watched this movie almost totally uninformed. I only saw the trailer (which as I said, is quite cryptic) and saw some images. I was completely unaware of everything that surrounded this film.
So, to be able to go into detail about what was a bit the terrible focus of this film, I need to spoil!!!!!!
Leaving aside all the choices that have been made for the movie (shots, frequencies etc) these certainly add that horrible touch, but the thing that most shook, to tell the truth, are the nine minutes of rape.
Before going deeper, I would also like to point out the fight scene in the gay club (the Rectum) where there is a broken arm, a face devastated with an extinguisher, and a near rape of our protagonist.
I remember thinking, during the initial scenes, and seeing the rage that Marcus was pervaded with, “I hope there is a good cause for all this nervousness.” And oh boy. Oh boy if there was a valid reason.
So after those that are the first two cruel scenes, I have quite recovered, in short they didn’t “touch” me much. Then, we arrive at the famous red underpass, where everything happens. I premise that, what I have been conveyed by this film, is not “fear”, it is not what I usually take from horror films, it was more a sense of “my god I feel dirty”, I felt uncomfortable, accomplice of something terrible, terrible in human terms. Perhaps this film shook me so much, for the horrible human violence that it represents. The affinity, of these realities, with everyday reality.
I remember reading somewhere that when there was the premiere of this film, for a elite of journalists, taking away the many who decided to leave halfway, those who arrived at the “end” (which is the beginning 😉 of Irreversible), almost feared to applaud. As if applauding such a disaster, made them themselves part and accomplices of the same.
Rape, feminicide and objectification
Themes such as rape, feminicide, submission and objectification are not new in the world of cinema, but Irreversible manages to represent them in a way that is truly uncomfortable and difficult to digest. The film is not recommended for everyone, as it can cause strong emotions and discomfort.
As a woman myself, I feel personally involved in these kinds of topics, and although I have a good degree of empathy, I realize that “hearing about it”, “having it told to me” has limitations in terms of transmitting perceived pain. I realize that when they interview a rape victim and she begins to tell in detail, in my mind, there is always an “exit” button. When I hear that what she is about to say can hurt me, or in some way shake me, make me uncomfortable, scare me, my mind unconsciously diverts attention. I empathize less, look away, get distracted. Probably, as a defensive technique.
But here, in this movie, in this scene, I was petrified. Helpless. Unable to skip (both for personal rules that require the absolute viewing of the film in its entirety, therefore without skips, silences, interruptions) and for the brutality of the scene). It was truly horrible. I realize that there have been moments in my life, futile, where maybe unwanted contact has bothered me: a hug, a caress, a kiss that I had not asked for and did not want. I ponder and I feel like saying that the mere thought of being “forced” to give up my intimacy with force and violence to someone else, destroys me. There was this sense of hate that was boiling inside of me, towards the animal that was represented on the screen, that I would have wanted to have the Marvel-style happy ending. The superhero who appears and massacres the villain. The only appearance we have instead, is just a guy who, seeing the situation, simply decides to leave.
I remember thinking over and over again “when the hell does it end” – I didn’t expect it. I didn’t expect it to last so long. I didn’t think it would be so direct. Really. I honestly think that a scene like this makes everyone feel small and wormlike.
And so in the end, when the worst scene ends, and the film continues with its reverse, things “IMPROVE”. But it’s a horrible improvement. A bitter consolation. By now everything was contaminated. No scene of Alex and Vincent happy could have erased the horror that I knew would be consumed soon. And then I realize.
I realize how horror, trauma, can destroy and blacken anything, even the good that can be there.
Not for the faint of heart
People asks me “would you recommend it?!” To tell the truth, I don’t know. I, personally, if I had read my review from the outside, I would have seen it. For pure challenge and curiosity. “AH SEE THAT GIRL WHO WRITES, LET’S SEE IF IT’S REALLY THAT BAD”. So, it’s a movie that I don’t know if I would recommend to someone else. It’s definitely not a film for a night out with friends and beer. But what I felt, having stirred something in my person, is definitely something that happens very rarely. Of course, I mean, it stirred me in a horrible manner, but it’s still involvement. It’s a movie that I don’t know if I would recommend, but I definitely wouldn’t watch it again.
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