Antichrist

Release Year: 2009

Director: Lars von Trier

Review: With a title like "Antichist" certain connotations and preconceptions come to mind.  It sounds cheap, like a cut rate horror film exploiting built in fears and paranoia of any religious viewer.  It'd be easy to write it off as a run of the mill exploitation film, only this is directed by Lars von Trier.  Not a director who would so easily cop to a pure horror genre regurgitation film.  Von Trier certainly has created an exploitation film, and one that is horrific, but not one that fits into the traditional horror genre.

Von Trier is an expert in the art of creating visually and emotionally disturbing films.  He does not shy shy away from making his films an unpleasant viewing experience, he revels in it.  Going into 'Antichrist' there was a lot made of how traumatizing the film is, showing explicit display of sexual violence.  This went to the point of people taking pride in simply making it through to the end.  This takes away from the experience.  A film should not rely on shocking the viewer to get a point across.  To be fair, I don't think this is the case with 'Antichrist', and the offending material represents only a small portion of the actual viewing time.

What I can blame von Trier for is falling flat with the implications of the physiological torture he subjects his audience to.  The entire film felt self important without saying all that much.  It is full of symbolic imagery and pretentious visuals and I at least wanted to be hit with a powerful message, as I was in von Trier's earlier work 'Dogville'.  Only this message never comes.  I was dragged along on an unpleasant ride only to be dumped off before actually getting to the destination.

What does work is powerful.  Von Trier certainly hooks in with an affecting atmosphere.  The cinematography is stunning.  There are scenes that are absolutely captivating, both visually and thematically.  Von Trier again burdens his actors with carrying the film, and they do a remarkable job.  The only two actors being Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg, and both step up and deliver.  Gainsbourg specifically is effective in a challenging role.  She transitions effortlessly from being completely empty to  highly emotional, a difficult range which she pulls off without coming across as heavy handed. It's for these reasons that I'm annoyed the film did not deliver as a whole.  The pieces were there, but to what end?  'Antichrist' is more frustrating than fulfilling and a waste of the emotional torment that is built up.
Rating: 3/5

Award Consideration: The main awards that 'Antichrist' has a shot at a nomination for are Lars von Trier for best director, Anthony Dod Mantle for best cinematography and Charlotte Gainsbourg for best actress.  Realistically, while he may have been nominated in some of the smaller independent award circuits, von Trier doesn't have much of a chance for best director, nor does he deserve it.  The direction was one the weak points of the film.  I appreciate what he was trying to do, but it just didn't come together.

Mantle for cinematography is up against some tough competition this year.  It is a beautifully shot film, but I'm not sure it is the best of the year. Although, the opening sequence alone was memorizing, so I'd support the nomination.

The most legitimate shot is Charlotte Gainsbourg for best actress, and her nomination would be well deserved.  She is currently in the top few of the year from the films that I've seen, if not the very top.  She does have stiff competition, and while there were many great performances by women this year, she might have had the most difficult role.  I'd be disappointed if she wasn't at least nominated.