It's hard to adequately describe a film like Enter The Void to people unfamiliar with modern day transgressive cinema; the combination of sacred and profane rarely elicits excitement from the average viewer even when they are remotely aware of what it is. To tell someone that ETV is a "visually arresting and deeply disturbing film" doesn't quite seem to do the film justice but that is exactly how I'm inclined to describe it. Filmmaker Gaspar Noé has created a work of stunning beauty but not far beneath the swirling, multi-colored surface lies an ugly reality filled with the pointless lives of incredibly damaged characters.
Without the dazzling effects, Enter The Void might have been just another grimy drama with creative camera-work but Noé seems determined to show us something unique and unexpected. Shot in first-person and occasionally disorienting, we see what the main actor Oscar sees and even hear his thoughts right up until his "out-of-body experience" begins, which really marks the beginning of the film and our wild ride through Oscar's past and the colorful streets of Tokyo. When not confronted with beautiful DMT hallucinations and painful memories, we're swooping through ceilings and walls, spying on the most intimate dealings of Oscar's younger sister Linda.
Just as one begins to wonder where the film is heading and where our host is leading us, a clear pattern emerges and with it an understanding of Oscar's new purpose.
For every one exquisite sequence of inspiration (and there are many) there seems to be an equally disturbing counterpart. One such sequence that I found myself genuinely moved by features two bloody children in a car, screaming and desperately trying to exit and escape the mutilated bodies of their parents. Another sequence literally puts us in front row seats and forces us to watch an unnerving abortion and Oscar's close-up fascination with the discarded fetus, a scene sure to turn stomachs. It's hard not to be affected by the things Noé shows us.
Enter The Void isn't the kind of film you can watch and walk away from, it will stick with you long after the initial viewing is over. I cannot recommend it enough to those seeking a unique filmmaking experience but readers should be aware that this isn't going to be for everybody. The acting, dialog, character arcs, none of that matters, it all takes second to concept and delivery. In my opinion, this is a rare gem and outstanding film and one I proudly own.
Without the dazzling effects, Enter The Void might have been just another grimy drama with creative camera-work but Noé seems determined to show us something unique and unexpected. Shot in first-person and occasionally disorienting, we see what the main actor Oscar sees and even hear his thoughts right up until his "out-of-body experience" begins, which really marks the beginning of the film and our wild ride through Oscar's past and the colorful streets of Tokyo. When not confronted with beautiful DMT hallucinations and painful memories, we're swooping through ceilings and walls, spying on the most intimate dealings of Oscar's younger sister Linda.
Just as one begins to wonder where the film is heading and where our host is leading us, a clear pattern emerges and with it an understanding of Oscar's new purpose.
For every one exquisite sequence of inspiration (and there are many) there seems to be an equally disturbing counterpart. One such sequence that I found myself genuinely moved by features two bloody children in a car, screaming and desperately trying to exit and escape the mutilated bodies of their parents. Another sequence literally puts us in front row seats and forces us to watch an unnerving abortion and Oscar's close-up fascination with the discarded fetus, a scene sure to turn stomachs. It's hard not to be affected by the things Noé shows us.
Enter The Void isn't the kind of film you can watch and walk away from, it will stick with you long after the initial viewing is over. I cannot recommend it enough to those seeking a unique filmmaking experience but readers should be aware that this isn't going to be for everybody. The acting, dialog, character arcs, none of that matters, it all takes second to concept and delivery. In my opinion, this is a rare gem and outstanding film and one I proudly own.