Infinity Pool

Right from the start I was a bit lost because I was unable to understand the actors who portrayed the police in the film. I think this was due in part to their heavy accents or just them talking pretty low. Eventually I was able to understand what was going on and thought it would get interesting. It was actually the opposite. The violence and the gore was tolerable. The nudity was excessive with one scene being too drawn out. It could have been toned down without affecting the story. Mia Goth does a great job playing crazy but I felt she could have been used in a more brutal way. Her character was used in a more seductive and manipulative way. She did a great job doing both of those things, I just wanted more especially with the concept of this film. I didn't care too much for Alexander Skarsgard's character. He did fall into this game that was being played but the morality of it all was never really questioned. His character should have captured the emotional affects of what was going on in a more dramatic fashion. The only time he showed any kind of emotion was when he was afraid of seeing himself being used for entertainment. Cleopatra Coleman who played Skarsgard's wife was basically a wasted character who could have easily been eliminated from the story entirely. The plot of this story basically went nowhere. It was just event after event that gave the audience hope for a great reveal or twist but in the end didn't do either. The movie could have been more entertaining considering the amount of violence it had. It felt like it dragged at times. Just one of those films with a great idea, but wasn't executed to its fullest potential. I give it 3 stars for Mia Goth, movie concept and some of the visual elements.

Premise: Not-so-successful writer seeking inspiration for his next book travels to a La Tolqa, a fictional Eastern-bloc country set on what appears to be the Black Sea. He quickly is sucked into socializing with a group of Western tourists who have discovered a quirk in the host country's legal system: Any crime you commit in the host country can be "redeemed" with a large payment to the local officials and a type of ceremony where a doppelgänger of the criminal is created and then executed in place of the "real" self. In short, the heart of the horror is a sort of reverse-Dorian Gray where morally repugnant acts are carved-off as a separate entity and then destroyed, leaving the perpetrator to indulge in further acts of depravity. So, what is left of the "real" self in such an arrangement? (If you have seen "Possessor," the thematic preoccupation is very similar.) The two central characters are Skarsgard's "James" and Goth's "Gabi." From the beginning, James proves himself to be an empty vessel who is more than willing to be towed out to sea by the beguiling (and increasingly cruel) siren Gabi. Despite the presence of his wife at the resort, James abandons any loyalties he might have to her or her own concerns with what is going on. And, in contrast to newcomer-James, Gabi's social circle appears to have existed in this bizarre world of excess and violent privilege for, well, forever. Yet, they seem to effortlessly enter and exit that world at will (back to L. A., of course!). But what of James? What he becomes and where he ends up in the closing segments are far from clear. (Emptier than what he already was? A shell of a shell?). "Infinity Pool" is a confident but cold movie. It reminds me quite a bit of the cult-group/occult horror movies that were made circa 1969-1974. The film uses quite a bit of arthouse-style flash imagery (the hues are different, but I was reminded of Norm Li's work in Panos Cosmatos' films). And despite the events taking place on a linear narrative, they are nonetheless sometimes difficult to follow due to Cronenberg's cinematic choices. In short, I can understand the polarizing reviews. I myself have mixed feelings. The film is very well done, the acting top-notch, and Cronenberg certainly attempts much more than the average horror flick director. But the "point" of the film is not always clear . . . And I felt like soaking in Dawn after viewing it. Recommended, with an asterisk.

This movie consisted of about 20 minutes of actual acting and the rest was a psychedelic mushroom induced free for all. I am a big fan of Skarsgård and think he's a great actor. This movie left me wondering how on earth did this ever get made. Do not waste your money or time on this movie. If your a Skarsgård fan give him a hard pass and hope he fires his agent. On the other hand if your an artsy person and like to be in the crowd that likes to have a "deeper understanding" of how to look beyond what you see while feeling what the producers were trying to accomplish this movie is for you. If you like to be entertained and leave a movie with a smile, I would go see a different movie.

Infinity Pool is one of the weirdest films that I have ever seen, and not in a good way. If you have seen The Human Centipede or Midsommar you might be prepared for the level of weirdness you'll experience. At least those films had some redeeming qualities but this one is just a mess. A poorly written story with huge plot holes and totally unbelievable to the point that 'suspension of disbelief' doesn't even begin to cover it. There's not a single likeable character to be found anywhere in the main cast and you just want the film to be over. Even when you finally get to the end it is highly unsatisfying. This may be the worst film that I have ever seen.

Look, I'm sure plenty of people will whip up well written reviews that dive into all the meaning that underpins this movie. Personally, I though it was boring. I couldn't have been less invested in the story or the characters. And strangely it was simultaneously too indulgent and pulling punches on the disturbing front. Aside from an interminable psychedelic orgy scene that just wouldn't end, the movie didn't take the violence and depravity far enough. Anyway, bursting at the seams with supposed depth doesn't do away with the need to make an entertaining product. I was happy when the movie ended.