*Mild Spoilers*
It's curious that I should begin this journey with a horror film. I always hated horror. I watch Woody Allen movies. Why would I want to be scared?
Alexander Skarsgård is a writer named James on vacation with his girlfriend Em. Their tropical destination will hopefully inspire his second novel after a 6 year drought. Don't we all do that? At least in our heads? Put me in a night club in Madrid and I'll bring home a 9. Send me to Morocco and I'll paint golden hour. I'm reminded of this line from 'The Sun Also Rises.' [Perhaps because I began reading it last night] "Listen, Robert, going to another country doesn't make any difference. I've tried all that. You can't get away from yourself by moving from one place to another. There's nothing to that."
Skarsgård's opposite in the film is Mia Goth. 'Gabi' is well off and bored, but not like some still beautiful 50 something that hasn't looked her husband in the eyes in 2 decades. Gabi doesn't know she's bored because she's too busy having fun. Remember that phrase from Westworld, something about violent delights.
I'm asking myself now what the film is about. On this tropical island, those who commit crimes may pay a large fee to have a perfect replica of themselves killed in their stead. Ah yes, "rich people get away with things" and "how do I know I'm me." But I don't think that's what Cronenberg has in mind. The film is not mired in cliche. There's even a moment when a supporting character asks how James knows he's really James and not the replica. And one of his companions sort of answers the question for us when she asks rhetorically "what does it matter?" And I think that's how Cronenberg feels about that question at least within the context of the film. The replicas are just fun plot devices and what he's really interested in is gettin weird. Sure there is an etched outline of the heroe's journey but-- Well I'll let you see how that turns out.
Infinity Pool is best served by just looking and listening. Experience it! I dunno why, but that follow shot of the car going up the mountain pass is sticking in my head. I'd be interested to see what the effect would have been without any use at all of the classic sort of hauntingly discordant scoring and instead just explored some more of the synth work that we hear early on. Oh well.
Skarsgård and Mia Goth deliver watch-worthy performances. I'll be damned if they didn't have a blast filming this. If you don't like horror it still might be worthy to watch just to cringe along with Skarsgård and to marvel at Mia. [The hood scene almost had me cackling.]
There is a moment in the film early on when Skarsgård first sees his replica get killed. He looks on with some mixture of horror and delight and we might be tempted to think: Aha! He's got a second novel in him! But juxtapose that with the closing scene and you tell me: has this guy found anything at all? Has he changed one bit? How do we interpret that last scene. Is he more lost or is he a little found. I dunno, but I like rain.
Is the film missing anything? I'm going to attempt some critic speak here. At times James's journey plays second fiddle to the virtuosic exhibition of the director's talents. I guess I mean that the images on the screen are here and there impressive at the cost of a greater story being told. Not necessarily a negative and guys, it's just a small opinion. Now I'm laughing at myself because sometimes criticizing movies is like saying 'my heroin just doesn't hit like it used to.'
I'm not so sure I hate horror anymore.