writer: Lars Von Trier
starring: Willem Dafoe, Charlotte Gainsbourg
genre: Drama, Horror
Now Antichrist didn’t help me at all on changing my opinion on Lars Von Trier. After Dogville which I wasn't fond of, I found now a new film to dislike even more and it’s called Antichrist. You can take this film in any way you want. Because many have. Few have characterized it as an incredible masterpiece others as garbage. Ill go with the second.
A couple called He (Willem Dafoe) and She (Charlotte Gainsbourg) go to a cabin in the woods after their son’s death. She confronting her grief He tries his best at soothing her pain as a therapist. But the woods and she hold many secrets and visions and horrific events will affect this couple dearly.
The film starts of with a beautiful b&w sequence where their child dies and you’re left with the impression hmm this film looks good, artistic lets see where it takes us. Then from a grief story it goes into the realm of sadistic, grotesque, misogynist nonsense. The story goes on that she takes pills, then she had a thesis paper about evil women, then something about religion. Does any of this matter or make sense? No. Things let just say happen in the woods and they are freaky and have no explanation.
If you think American horror slasher films go to far and and that their audience is a bunch amoral morons, here comes same crap from a cultured European director that does the same for a bunch people looking for needle in the haystack to find a meaning when blood and all kinds of other filth is happening on screen. The scenes in the film are probably the most outrageous, provocative ive seen yet in a film. All extreme to make audience feel what? And I ask again what? And I cant even say the atrocities because they are so offensive towards women especially, also audiences and animals and I'm not kidding.
How more self indulgent can Mr. Von Trier be and I quote he said:
“Antichrist was filmed and finished without much enthusiasm, made as it was using about half of my physical and intellectual capacity.”
Because of his depression he said this. Really? So if you weren’t depressed you would have made a masterpiece. Come on. Did he really have to say that? And this is before he said at the Cannes film festival
“I am the best film director in the world” “All the others are overrated, so that’s quite simple.”
After the film had gotten bad press he said all of this. Lars Von Trier you would be the best director, maybe if your ego didn’t foreshadow your talent. Also how could you not be a misogynist or called one? After Dogville and now Antichrist how the hell could any woman see one of your films with a opened mind.
To conclude many might wonder and say I don’t like artistic films. That I don’t get them and that I just like comic book movies. Well no. I like artsy stuff just not self indulgent crap from egoists who try to play it cool and give a slow paced film with no true story, terrible violent acts and with meanings that don’t attract or satisfy me. I love David Lynch, I enjoy Fellini films, I adore Chaplin but Lars Von Trier you’re just overrated. Antichrist has good performances, a great opening and some interesting visuals. Even if the film was underlined with layers of glorious messages it still doesn’t make this into a good film in my opinion. If you’re not into cultural artistic European cinema don’t even bother seeing this film.
P.S. This is my opinion. This not a attack to Von Trier fans. It's just my opinion on the man and his work. Anybody who likes the film is entitled to their opinion as well. Art is to the eye of the beholder. To one can be glorious and masterful to another garbage and a waste. Can something be both? Of course it can. So enjoy!
Personal Rating:
Review by Paul
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