Got this film out from lovefilm a few weeks ago as it sounded intriguing and wanted to know what all the fuss was about. Haven't watched it yet and I am now considering not watching it after reading a lot of reviews.
I have already seen the "fire extinguisher scene" and am not that bothered about seeing the "other" notorious scene.
So is it actually a good film or just over hyped because of 2 particularly violent and controversial scenes? Ive heard some people say they wished they hadnt bothered, so anyone seen it, and can actually recommend it?
And before anyone who doesnt know what I am on about goes searching Youtube for "Irreversible fire extinguisher scene", please be warned it is 1stly not real, they are actors, secondly it is not pleasant, very very violent, and more than likely NSFW.
It's not a pleasant film at all, that one.
I've got the soundtrack (by half of Daft Punk), but not seen the film. Should I?
Dez; it's a [i]very[/i] violent and disturbing film. I couldn't watch all of it, but I've seen the worst bits. I can't say my life would be in any way worse for not watching it.
Sounds wonderful. Not.
Watch it yourself and make up your own mind. Next, you'll be wanting a food-taster.
Personally, I was intrigued. It didn't "disturb" me.
That might say more about ME than the film, mind... 😯
Tense storyline due to the nature of the issues it tackles. The fact that it kinda plays backwards makes it different to the norm. I think it's a great film, for me it's interestingly shot, good natural acting most of the time, to the point script. It's in my collection to watch again and again and i recommend it to friends. Seems to mostly get fair ratings from others.
EDIT: and Vincent Cassel is cool as ****
Yes, Mr Woppit, if someone described a cheese burger as violent and disturbing I would want someone else to taste it first 🙂
I saw this film at home listening to the audio through a very good pair of headphones.
Now I've never been bothered by seeing violence on the screen, but the fire extinguisher scene was so bad, at first it made me feel sick and then shortly after I genuinely passed out.
It really was quite a wierd experience; how could a scene in a film be so bad as to produce that kind of effect. Then I found out.
The film makers deliberately used very low frequency sound as part of the audio in order to induce feelings of stress and discomfort in the audience. At screenings in Canne where it was first shown, it was widely reported that people were physically sick and many walked out because they felt so distressed.
The other scene around which the entire film pivots is distressing in a different kind of way but the film is credited with taking a brave and honest approach to the way it was shot; so the camera is very low, almost on the floor, rather than being high up and almost voyeristic. It's also done in one continuous take and was apparently extremely distressing for both actors, so much so that they needed on set counselling to deal with the experience.
As to whether it's a 'good film' or not, yes in many ways of that definition it is; it has excellent character development, a plot structure that gives a very different perspective (sort of like Memento, so it's told backwards), it's very well shot and is terribly poignant. You get a strong sense of the characters anguish and struggle. But it's not a film that everyone will enjoy and the remarks made already in relation to the two scenes have not been overdone; the fire extinguisher scene is in particular, extremely distressing.
Thanks geetee1972. See, if you don't ask, you don't find out this sort of stuff.
now i have to watch this.
nothing better than a film that challenges you
It's in French BTW with subtitles.
I'm with DezB. I don't need to watch it because it challenges me if at the same time it makes me ill. Reading the synopsis was enough.
However, I like the idea of the scenes running in reverse so you see the motivation for the retribution at the very end rather than at the start. There is nothing I dislike more than seeing someone killed at the start of a film (usually young girl/family) so that the ensuing violence is somehow justified.
Gaspar Noe's new film coming soon
That might say more about ME than the film, mind...
What, that you're a sociopath who lacks compassion and empathy?
I think we already knew that.. 😉
The purpose of a film like 'Irreversible' is to shock. To disgust. To brutalise it's audience. In that respect, it's a great film. You won't forget the two stand out scenes. As for what it does beyond that, I can't say, as I've not sat and watched the whole thing. Maybe I will some day.
As someone who has witnessed and even been involved in extreme violence, I find the idea of watching it on screen really quite abhorrent. Having smashed people's faces to a bloody pulp myself, watching that which I know is inside me, isn't something I really 'enjoy', I have to say. I think that films containing scenes of extreme violence appeal to that dark side of our psyche; that potential to cause harm that we're all capable of ultimately. Most of us certainly fantasise about violence in some way or another.
I personally don't like revisiting the dark moments of my past. But I can see how watching violence can be extremely arousing for many. Most folk will find this subconscious arousal negatively disturbing, because thankfully not everyone's a violent psychopath. But forcing ourselves to watch is a reminder of our own mortality, perhaps.
I think it's genrally accepted that just like enjoying a tune, song or book, for example, if it speaks to you and you can appreciate it in your own way then it is worth watching. But you won't know until you have heard/watched or read it. You can get all the informative objective responses from as many people as you like but ultimatly it's up to you.
Have i already said that Vincent Cassel is cool as ****......
Hey what about the Inbetweeners! His bollock was hanging out! 😆
And after you've watched that go check out A Serbian Film.