Infinity Cruel

Infinity Pool is first and foremost a critique of the kind of people who go to gated luxury resorts, the ones that have armed guards to keep away the impoverished locals. Therefore everyone here is disgusting. Uber handsome Alexander Skarsgard is a loser writer who spends most of the film sweating and dishevelled, Mia Goth goes from alluring to screeching alcaholic state, Thomas Kretchmann's local detective hates the entitled holiday makers but is happy to enable their explotation of his countrymen for financial gain. Pretty much everyone is morally bankrupt. This does create the slight problem of having nobody to get behind but that isn't really the point and this isn't the place you would find heroes.

The plot revolves around an outrageous piece of (maybe) technology unique to the unamed country the film is set in. How a seemingly underdeveloped land came to posses such a thing is never really explored and neither are the ramifications of its existence beyond how they pertain to the plot at hand. It exists solely to drive and enable the deprived actions of the characters. Once the rules have been set the rest of Infinity Pool is actually fairly grounded. For a Chrononberg film anyway.

One thing it isn't, is tame. You are forced to watch gruesome deaths and the sex and nudity has a sleezy quality that makes it clear nothing these people do is appealing. There's even some body horror although it feels more obligitary than necessary, adding to sense of self indulgence in some parts of the film. It doesn't feel overly long but would still have been more effective with a little of the fat trimmed off.

Skarsgard puts in a strong performance, his suave exterior melting away as he begins to understand who he really is, but its Mia Goth who gives the showstopping turn. Following on from her standout performance in Pearl she brings something completely different, but equally unsettling, to the table here. While Pearl was all naivety and passionate rage Gabi is a polished facade hiding focused cruelty.

Its the strong performances that carry the film through its less well executed moments and make the unpleasantness intriguing rather than just revolting. As a result Infinity Pool is worth dipping your toes in, providing you have the stomach for it.

7 stabbings from 10 vengeful first borns.

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