Infinity Pool

In cinemas now

The title of Brandon Cronenberg’s third feature hints at the deeper meaning that prevails through this unhinged acid dream – after all, what symbolises insane wealth in the modern age more than an infinity pool? In a manner not dissimilar to his father’s film Maps to the Stars, Cronenberg’s latest demonstrates a deep cynicism for the uber rich that remains prevalent from its inaugural frame to its last, but sadly fails to say little of interest throughout its near two-hour runtime.

While you cannot help but be impressed by the sheer audacity of Infinity Pool and, in particular, the lead performances of both Alexander Skarsgård and Mia Goth, it is hard to look past its worst tendencies, which include an over-indulgence in fetishistic, gratuitous and, most importantly, senseless violence.

The chin-stroking cultural commentary that Cronenberg is seemingly attempting to make never warrants this, with it mostly being a hotchpotch of ideas that one would assume are borrowed from the works of writers such as Dostoyevsky and Kafka. It is, for the most part, a deeply unpleasant film that is helmed by characters who are so intentionally repulsive that it becomes hard to care one iota about their respective arcs, a conundrum which is compounded further by the fact that the events of Infinity Pool are annoyingly repetitive.

That being said, it is a daring piece of cinema with a very distinct oeuvre, due in no small part to Cronenberg’s disorientating direction, Karim Hussain’s vivid cinematography, and Tim Hecker’s pulsating score. It’s not hard to imagine Cronenberg delivering a truly great film in years to come, but this is not it.