The two couples plan a day trip outside of the resort, which is against the rules, but they are rich and can pay for it, so they do. When James accidentally does something very bad, it ruins his day, and then he starts to worry and fear about what will happen next. This is when the movie really got going, and when we really got to see that upside-down world. James has to go to great lengths to avoid spending the rest of his life in a foreign prison or even being killed. The film shows us the mind of a man who is constantly being pushed by the people around him to take a risk and take charge of his own life. Gabi and Alban Bauer may be more than what meets the eye, and James shows the audience this in a number of sadistic ways.
The above doesn’t say much about where this movie goes after the first fifteen minutes or so, and it’s best to go into it knowing as little as possible. Cronenberg does a great job with the setting and the colorful, fast-paced montages that try to mesmerize the audience while messing with our main character’s mind. There are a few really interesting and scary scenes that stand out. One is a pretty mad orgy scene that has a lot of visuals that look like seizures and a loud score that makes people feel both amazed and scared. The film depends a lot on its loud synths and score, which sometimes make the movie better than its script. This can be annoying, but when the stars align, it works, and the movie is at its best. The movie loses some of its charm in the last few minutes because it seems to wrap up too quickly and goes in directions that make sense on paper but would have been better if they were more intense.
Putting Skarsgrd in this role is a great contrast that makes his character’s journey even more interesting. His machismo is tested in such a way that the usual expectations for a Skarsgrd character are completely thrown out the window. He doesn’t always do a great job in this role, but he really makes the most of it and shows a different, but welcome, side of himself. Goth also shines, showing once again why she is one of the most interesting and fun actresses working today. Visit o2tvseries and stream more movies for free.
