Horror: A film genre that has been notoriously ignored by award organizations and prominent film festivals. This has all somewhat changed in the past several years, with the recent films of this genre receiving critical acclaim, and gaining prominence on the festival circuit.
This has culminated this month with the wide release of the Sundance shocker, “Infinity Pool,” the latest feature from Brandon Cronenberg, the son of legendary filmmaker and pioneer of the body horror genre, David Cronenberg.
I caught a screening of this film on its opening day, and it is one of the best horror films to come out in recent years.
Alexander Skarsgård stars as James Foster, a novelist going through writer’s block, who vacations to a resort with his wife to find inspiration, as it has been six years since his last book, which was his debut novel.
As a result of a highway accident near the resort, which would lead to a disturbing encounter with the local authorities, James falls into a rabbit hole filled with hedonism and sadistic depravity. Skarsgård emphasizes the confusion and horror experienced by his character in an excellent performance, with disturbed expressions.
Mia Goth’s star turn as actress Gabi Bauer is a phenomenal portrayal of a figure with barbarous undertones behind the supposed Hollywood glamour of her character. There are scenes throughout the film of her trying to pressure James to commit diabolical actions.
Cleopatra Coleman gives a really good supporting performance as James’s wife, the wealthy Em Foster, who is distrusting of the Bauers and is concerned about James getting involved with them.
As for the cinematography, Karim Hussain captures a psychedelic odyssey through hell, with some truly impressive shots here. For instance, after James enters a pool of red liquid so that his clone can be created, the viewer is suddenly subjected to an array of chaotic flashing visuals, which is also an example of how good the editing work is here.
Another example of the stellar camerawork here is the opening sequence, which features a tilt shot of the resort which, along with the piece in this scene, intensifies the tension and unnerving atmosphere of the film.
When discussing the screenplay and direction of this work, Brandon Cronenberg crafts an original work of surrealist horror that leaves the viewer uncertain as to what is real, or what is an illusion, such as when he is dealing with the clones. In addition to this, Infinity Pool doubles as a commentary on the tourism of impoverished countries perpetuated by the wealthy, with a particular shot of the Fosters and Bauers driving by impoverished homes, emphasizing this statement with this contrasting visual.
The score from electronic composer Tim Hecker fuels a sense of dread that encompasses the film from the very beginning of it. Whether it be the piece “Joy Ride” (which is played when James and Em travel with the Bauers to the areas outside of the resort, which is highly discouraged by the staff to visit), or with noisy atmospheric pieces, such as the eerie “Humiliation” (which is featured in a rather disturbing sequence), Hecker’s soundtrack compliments the film quite well.
“Infinity Pool” takes the horror genre and pushes it to provocative depths with a labyrinthine plot and horrifying visuals, along with being a satire that is quite relevant in the current age. With a great cast and a score that fits this unique work perfectly, it is a film that I highly recommend, for those who like their films on an insane level of unnerving.
