Antichrist is an odd movie, and many people have turned up their noses in distaste and deemed it absolute garbage. Some have walked out of screenings, but me, I come with the mindset, the weirder the better, and even though this title has been on my radar for well over a year, I just kept putting it off. I don’t know why, maybe I feared it’s excellence would change life’s perspective, or it would overtake The Exorcist as the greatest movie ever made. Even when my buddy, Paul, insisted I watch and review it several months ago, I didn’t take the time, even when I could have streamed it on Netflix. So, it wasn’t until I bought an import copy for about ten bucks on e-bay a few weeks ago, that I decided to give it a whirl. The opening premise is tragic, yet simple: While mommy and daddy are making babies, their real baby (who’s not supposed to be up and scurrying about) falls from a window to his death. And so, the following story unfolds…
(Although I’d like to take credit for insightful viewing and breaking this movie into “chapter selections,” this is actually how it was done, so boo on me.)
Chapter One: Grief: It’s pretty much Defoe psychoanalyzing his wife as they journey through the woods to find solace after the tragic event. See, he’s a therapist, and has taken it upon himself to help her. Here’s where they set up the pyramid of fear (Fearamid? Yeah, I just made it up), where once you reach the top, you’ve overcome it. In this case, the woods (Eden) is the first step to conquer before facing the unknown.
Chapter Two: Chaos Reigns: I really didn’t take much away from this other than more psychoanalysis, a bit more dementia and resentment, and a talking/self-mutilating fox, which made me think of The Fantastic Mr. Fox (I don’t know why, that’s just how my mind works), minus one George Clooney voiceover.
Chapter Three: Despair: This is where the story took an odd, yet interesting turn, and where the true horror elements and dementia came into play. Kind of like the tension in the sledgehammer scene from Misery, but here, Defoe’s wife drills a hole through his leg (with a hand-turn drill), then wrenches a wheel grinder onto it, so he can’t leave. But, that’s after she knocks him out, and jerks him off until he ejaculates blood. **me scratching head (no pun intended)** Yeah, watching it unfold is just as confusing as you trying to comprehend what I’m telling you, but that’s what happened. When he awakens, he tries to seek refuge in an animal’s den, but is found by his Kathy Bates-esque wife, shovel-shanked the crap out of, and taken back to the house.
Chapter Four: The Three Beggars:AKA Say goodbye to the clitoris. What I gather from this scene is that because her son died while she was having sex/getting off, she’s been unable to fulfill her sexual urges since, so she cuts off her clitoris with a pair of scissors, so the feeling will subside. I could be way off, but that’s the best I got. So, Defoe finds the wrench, takes the wheel off, strangles his wife, and then burns the body...all in a hard day's work.
Epilogue: The last scene, which can be interpreted many ways, is Defoe standing on a hill, as many women appear and climb to the top. My best guess on this (which is probably wrong) is that the wife has been relieved of her self-torment, thus conquering the fear of self (“Me”), the unknown at the top of the pyramid.
Sure, I was left dumbfounded, and even after a second watch, still quite confused. It’s very atmospheric, has surreal imagery, and is very thought provoking, maybe even moreso than my little nugget can handle/comprehend. And, much like an Alejandro Jodorowsky film, I’m sure some of the scenes will pop into my head when I least expect it. But, I must let it meander amongst the other demented thoughts up there, before I can conclude whether it’s sheer greatness, absolute crap, or merely just a Yeah, I saw it, and might revisit again on a cold/rainy day.
This title was picked up by Criterion and will be released on November 9th. Now, just because they put their stamp on a movie, doesn’t make it the end all, be all, but alongside Salo: 120 Days of Sodom and Videodrome, it fits perfectly. If you like oddball movies such as Holy Mountain, El Topo, Subconscious Cruelty, Begotten, or some early Lynchian shit, I urge you to give this a gander. There’s even some nakedness and penetration to satisfy the more perverse viewers, but be aware, it’s more arthousy than pornographic. And, where else can you see the Green Goblin having lots of sex, and being put in compromising positions without Spiderman present?
