Directed by: Brandon Cronenberg
Rating: 4 stars
Infinity Pool is a 2023 psychological horror/thriller film with elements of ego death, rebirth, psychedelics, and wealth inequality. The film follows a couple, James (Alexander Skarsgard) and Em (Cleopatra Coleman), on vacation at an exclusive resort in a fictional tropical country. They meet a young woman, Gabi (Mia Goth), who unknowing to them leads them into a world of unadulterated pleasure and violence. When an accident leads to the death of a local man, the group is taken in by ominous authorities who explain the country's policy: crime is punishable by execution or if you’re wealthy enough you can pay your way out but are subject to an unsettling scene: your own death. Li Tolqa the country where the film takes place has a cloning process for the extremely wealthy, allowing them to pay their way out of murder by creating a clone to be murdered in their place. Cronenberg's concept raises questions about the morality of the uber-rich and what it would do to a person if they witnessed their own murder.
Once James who is only wealthy through his wife Em, pays his way out of the execution, him and Em witness the death of James by the hand of the son of the victim James had accidentally killed in a hit and run. Em understandably is shaken by the experience as she seemingly witnesses the violent death of James’ clone.
Things go worse for James and Em’s already tension-filled relationship once she sees that James was unaffected by watching his clone’s death and seemed to instead be mesmerized by it. Because of this conflict, Em decides to finally leave the island and her relationship with James, leaving James the perfect victim for Gabi’s web. As the travelers fully indulge into their hedonistic lifestyle, Cronenberg seems to suggest that it's only the fear of repercussions that keeps people from indulging in every possible pleasure and pain. The travelers wear local tribal masks that allow even more anonymity, and Cronenberg's surreal and experimental approach only heightens the film's chaos.
Since the wealthy visitors know that they can get away with any and all crime they take James to commit more murders of local islanders and watch their clones die at least two more times. After the deaths Gabi shows James a root that has hallucinogenic properties and tells him to breathe in the smoke emitting from it. As the rest of the islanders do the same the scene changes into a clash of colors and distorting images of the group performing intimate acts on one another in a crazed and animalistic style that creates a dreamlike atmosphere that adds to the film's surrealist qualities and leaves the audience at the edge of their seats as they watch James descend fully into the madness of hedonism and crime by Gabi. The tropical setting provides the perfect backdrop for the strange and perplexing events that unfold and the actors, especially the lead performances by Alexander Skarsgard and Mia Goth, deliver strong and convincing performances that add depth to the characters and the story.
However, not all is well in paradise as once the group goes to commit another grisly and torturous murder of an anonymous victime, Gabi reveals the identity to James. Its his own clone and he has to kill himself. James is horrified by the thought of doing this and sheepfully runs away while the rest of the group and Gabi taunts him. Mia Goth’s performance of the wildlessly sadistic Gabi is bold and unapologetic as she truly seems to steal the audience’s attention everytime she is in a scene. Once James is taken back into reality he tries to escape the insanity of the island and the wealthy foreign patrons, but is found by Gabi and the rest of the group as he is taking a bus to the airport. Gabi forces James to come to terms with who he really is in a humiliating way. James is nothing but a weak and untalented man who will never achieve anything. He hasnt published a book in over 6 years and even that book was slammed by critics, the only reason he was able to even escape the execution through financial means was because he married rich.
Infinity Pool forces the audience’s eyes open to the unfair reality that even in the real world wealthy people who are unremarkable get to get away with things over and over again without any real consequences. Infinity Pool is a bold, unapologetic exploration of privilege and morality that confirms Cronenberg’s status as a fascinating and talented filmmaker, even if he still hasn’t directed many films in his career. The film's thought-provoking themes and allegorical undertones leave a lasting impression, inviting the audience to contemplate the deeper meanings of the story. Overall, "Infinity Pool" is a mind-bending cinematic experience that takes the audience on a journey to the edge of reality and back again.
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