A young and innocent student starts rediscovering herself when she develops a desire for human flesh.
Provocative, unsettling, and in need of purpose. Not your average first act… The initiation, portrayed in a colourful cinematic way, includes protracted shots of mild chaos and disturbance, such as taking drugs, dancing, kissing, shagging, etc, as part of a regular routine. No political statements there, just young men, women, and non-binary people having fun.
The same natural course is maintained while operating on animals in the second act. As someone who not only doesn’t eat meat but is an animal rights advocate, I was uncomfortable watching certain scenes, but I don’t know how much it will affect you. For yet another half an hour, the initiation keeps coming and going while Justine starts developing an irresistible desire for raw meat and then human flesh. Certain scenes could be described as either disturbing or uncomfortable, depending on who you are talking to, or plainly unnecessary. What will define it is the way you will perceive them within the narrative. Do you think the film wouldn’t be the same without them? If they weren’t there, would it make a difference? Again, the answers will define the way you perceive them. Characteristically, the endless hair coming out of Justine’s mouth in the toilet and the sex scene (you’ll know) are quite effective if you ask me. Are they enough, though?
Writer/director Julia Ducournau knows how to shock the audiences. But as I’ve said numerous times, the sum should always be always bigger than its parts. And I don’t think this is the case here. In the end, I don’t know why I watched it (again). I struggled to find purpose. Admittedly, the second time, I watched it to write a more accurate review and because, not so long ago, I watched Ducournau’s Titane (2021) and wanted to compare and contrast. I hope you give it a try because actresses Garance Marillier and Ella Rumpf go really over the top.
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