When discussing the most disturbing and unwatchable movies of all time, one cannot simply ignore the extremities of the 2002 filmIrréversible. The film gained notoriety for its disturbing and graphic depiction of sexual abuse and trauma, but was commended for its storytelling which is narrated in reverse. In celebration of its 20th anniversary, Studiocanal will bring the tormenting terror once again, coming back in its original cut, which will be retold in chronological order this time.
Marketed as an entirely “new film”,Irreversible: Straight Cutis the film’s original cut that tells the same harrowing tale of abuse, trauma, and revenge. Originally released in a reverse direction, the new release will follow the film’s chronological order, which will undoubtedly deliver the same intense story as the first. It already premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2019, but it will get a new lease on life with a theatrical release on February 10 at the IFC Center in New York and the Landmark’s Nuart in Los Angeles.
In one traumatic night in Paris,Irréversiblefollows two male leads, Marcus (Vincent Cassel) and Pierre (Albert Dupontel), deciding to take matters into their own hands after their beloved Alex (Monica Bellucci) is violently raped and assaulted by a vile stranger in a tunnel underpass. Directed and written by Argentine filmmakerGaspar Noé—the director behind movies likeI Stand Alone,Enter the Void, andClimax—the auteur said that the new and original cut is the same story, but it emphasizes the film’s drama and the characters' coping mechanisms with a loved one’s tragedy, which leads some of them to brutality. Stating,
While “Irreversible” has sometimes been wrongly perceived as a ‘rape and revenge’ B movie, here the deadly outcome is all the more depressing. “Irreversible: Straight Cut” can be more easily seen as a fable on the contagion of barbarity and the command of the reptilian brain over the rational mind.
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The straight cut, in Noé’s words, is “no longer a tragedy,” but whether told in chronological or reverse order, one thing’s for sure: it is not for the faint of heart. A tale told in reverse,Irréversibleis often regarded as a masterpiece, yet it’s far from entertaining. Its blatant depiction of sexual violence (told in a 9-minute-long uncomfortable sequence) is appalling enough that it received quite a mix of feedback from both audiences and critics. Although the film did not glamorize rape in any way, it did successfully capture the viewers' fear, which is a statement in and of itself.
The film also starsJo Prestia,Fatima Adoum,Jean-Louis Costes, andPhilippe Nahon. Besides Noé at the helm,Benoît Debieis responsible for the film’s gripping cinematography, whileThomas Bangalterprovided the film’s stirring music.
