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He extends his stay by a week and encounters Gabi and Alban again. They introduce him to a small group of Western tourists who all have been convicted of serious crimes and have paid to watch their doubles killed. These people return to the resort annually, commit heinous crimes, and pay to watch their doubles get slaughtered. Over the next several days, they encourage James to transform into a [[libertine]] criminal, encouraging him to kill locals, engage in intoxicated [[orgy|orgies]], and abuse the resort staff.
He extends his stay by a week and encounters Gabi and Alban again. They introduce him to a small group of Western tourists who all have been convicted of serious crimes and have paid to watch their doubles killed. These people return to the resort annually, commit heinous crimes, and pay to watch their doubles get slaughtered. Over the next several days, they encourage James to transform into a [[libertine]] criminal, encouraging him to kill locals, engage in intoxicated [[orgy|orgies]], and abuse the resort staff.


James is rattled one night when he is tricked into brutalizing a clone of himself he had been lead to believe was the police detective who initially arrested him. In a moment of clarity and panic, James retrieves his hidden passport and attempts to flee, but the tourist group accosts him and abducts him from the bus transporting him to the airport. Gabi reveals that she finds him pathetic and that group is abusing him for their own amusement, hoping to turn him into a fellow murder tourist. He runs off into a nearby wilderness. Gabi shoots him in the leg as he flees.
James is rattled one night when he is tricked into brutalizing a clone of himself he had been led to believe was the police detective who initially arrested him. In a moment of clarity and panic, James retrieves his hidden passport and attempts to flee, but the tourist group accosts him and abducts him from the bus transporting him to the airport. Gabi reveals that she finds him pathetic and that group is abusing him for their own amusement, hoping to turn him into a fellow murder tourist. He runs off into a nearby wilderness. Gabi shoots him in the leg as he flees.


After hours of wandering, he collapses at a farm, where a local family takes him in to recuperate. In his [[psychedelic|drugged state]], he experiences a series of [[hallucination]]s. Once he has regained his strength, he is again confronted by Gabi's group, who order him to kill a duplicate of himself to complete his transformation. He initially refuses, but when the clone attempts to kill him, James beats him to death. As a reward, Gabi exposes her bare breast to James, inviting him to [[Erotic lactation|breastfeed]].
After hours of wandering, he collapses at a farm, where a local family takes him in to recuperate. In his [[psychedelic|drugged state]], he experiences a series of [[hallucination]]s. Once he has regained his strength, he is again confronted by Gabi's group, who order him to kill a duplicate of himself to complete his transformation. He initially refuses, but when the clone attempts to kill him, James beats him to death. As a reward, Gabi exposes her bare breast to James, inviting him to [[Erotic lactation|breastfeed]].

Revision as of 02:48, 11 February 2023

Infinity Pool
Theatrical release poster
Directed byBrandon Cronenberg
Written byBrandon Cronenberg
Produced by
  • Karen Harnisch
  • Andrew Cividino
  • Christina Piovesan
  • Noah Segal
  • Rob Cotterill
  • Anita Juka
  • Daniel Kresmery
  • Jonathan Halperyn
Starring
CinematographyKarim Hussain
Edited byJames Vandewater
Music byTim Hecker
Production
companies
Release dates
  • January 22, 2023 (2023-01-22) (Sundance)
  • January 27, 2023 (2023-01-27) (Canada)
Running time
117 minutes
Countries
  • Canada
  • Croatia
  • Hungary
LanguageEnglish
Box office$4.7 million[1]

Infinity Pool is a 2023 science fiction horror film written and directed by Brandon Cronenberg, starring Alexander Skarsgård, Mia Goth, and Cleopatra Coleman. The film follows a struggling writer and his wife on vacation who, after an accident, discover the country’s dark culture.

Cronenberg started developing the project in 2019, with production later being pushed back to 2021. Much of the cast joined the project that year and filming took place primarily in Šibenik, Croatia. Infinity Pool premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival on January 22, 2023, and was theatrically released in Canada on January 27, 2023, by Elevation Pictures. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise for the atmosphere and Cronenberg's direction.

Plot

Novelist James Foster and his wife Em spend time at a resort in the fictional seaside country of Li Tolqa,[2] where a local festival is underway. The couple's chronic marital strife is exacerbated when Gabi, a fan of the only novel James has published to date, invites them to spend time with her and her husband Alban. The four have dinner and decide to spend the next day driving in the countryside, even though they have been warned that tourists are to remain on the resort compound at all times.

At a beach, as James urinates behind a tree, Gabi unexpectedly grabs him from behind and proceeds to give him a handjob. After a long day of sunbathing and cooking, the tourists embark on a drunken drive back to their hotel. En route, James accidentally runs over a local man, killing him. Gabi insists that they cannot call the police, as the country is corrupt and they will not be safe.

The next day, James is arrested and is told that the penalty for his crime is death at the hand of the dead man's firstborn son. However, the country has a unique system of justice whereby the guilty, for a hefty fee, can be cloned and have their duplicates killed in their place. James, who married into money, pays the fee to have a double killed before his eyes. Em is horrified by the entire affair and wants to leave immediately, but James is titillated by the spectacle and wants to stay. He hides his passport, claiming that he has lost it, and encourages Em to return to America.

He extends his stay by a week and encounters Gabi and Alban again. They introduce him to a small group of Western tourists who all have been convicted of serious crimes and have paid to watch their doubles killed. These people return to the resort annually, commit heinous crimes, and pay to watch their doubles get slaughtered. Over the next several days, they encourage James to transform into a libertine criminal, encouraging him to kill locals, engage in intoxicated orgies, and abuse the resort staff.

James is rattled one night when he is tricked into brutalizing a clone of himself he had been led to believe was the police detective who initially arrested him. In a moment of clarity and panic, James retrieves his hidden passport and attempts to flee, but the tourist group accosts him and abducts him from the bus transporting him to the airport. Gabi reveals that she finds him pathetic and that group is abusing him for their own amusement, hoping to turn him into a fellow murder tourist. He runs off into a nearby wilderness. Gabi shoots him in the leg as he flees.

After hours of wandering, he collapses at a farm, where a local family takes him in to recuperate. In his drugged state, he experiences a series of hallucinations. Once he has regained his strength, he is again confronted by Gabi's group, who order him to kill a duplicate of himself to complete his transformation. He initially refuses, but when the clone attempts to kill him, James beats him to death. As a reward, Gabi exposes her bare breast to James, inviting him to breastfeed.

The next day, as they head back to America, the other tourists casually chat about upcoming errands, while James is visibly shaken from the events of the past few days. Waiting in the airport for flight, he resolves to remain behind instead. He return to the closed resort, where he sits alone amidst the downpour of the monsoon.

Cast

Production

Development

Brandon Cronenberg wrote the original screenplay for Infinity Pool with the intention of directing the film. He developed the story from actual experiences he had on unsatisfying vacations and a science fiction story about killing clones he had been writing.[3] By May 2019, an international co-production had been set up between Canada, Hungary, and France. Filming was slated to begin at the end of 2019.[4][5] By November 2020, filming locations in Croatia and Hungary were selected, but production was pushed back to 2021.[6] In June 2021, it was announced that distribution would be handled by Elevation Pictures in Canada and Neon in the United States.[7]

Casting

In June 2021, Alexander Skarsgård was revealed to be starring in the lead role.[8] By the time filming had started, additional casting announcements included Mia Goth, Thomas Kretschmann, Amanda Brugel, Caroline Boulton, John Ralston, Jeff Ricketts, Jalil Lespert and Roderick Hill.

Filming

Principal photography took five weeks, beginning on September 6, 2021,[9] at the Amadria Park resort in Šibenik, Croatia. After twelve days of shooting, production moved to Hungary, where filming was completed.[10] Post-production took place in Canada and was completed during the second half of 2022.[11]

Release

Infinity Pool premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival[12] and was released by Elevation Pictures in Canada on January 27, 2023.[13] The film's European premiere will be held at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival in the Berlinale Special section.[14]

MPA rating

For its United States release, an initial cut received an NC-17 rating from the Motion Picture Association (MPA).[15][16] Neon appealed to the Classification and Rating Administration appeals board, but the rating was upheld.[17] After re-edits, it achieved an R rating.[18]

Reception

Box office

Infinity Pool grossed $1.1 million from 1,835 theaters on its first day of release. It went on to debut to $2.7 million, finishing eighth at the box office and out-grossing the lifetime domestic run of the director's father's 2022 release, Crimes of the Future ($2.4 million).[19][20] It dropped out of the box office top ten in its second weekend with $900,000.[21]

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 86% based on 162 reviews, with an average rating of 7.1/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Turbulent waters even for strong swimmers, Infinity Pool provides a visceral all-inclusive retreat of Cronenbergian perversion for those wanting to escape commercial sundries."[22] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 72 out of 100 based on 37 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[23] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "C–" on an A+ to F scale, while those polled by PostTrak gave it a 52% positive score, with 28% saying they would definitely recommend it.[19]

Reviewing Infinity Pool following its premiere at Sundance, David Fear of Rolling Stone described the film as being laced with "a rage, an edge and a warped satirical sensibility that feels unique, and uniquely unnerving enough to kill talk of family coattails", praising Cronenberg's screenplay and direction, as well the lead performances.[24] The film is a New York Times Critic's Pick, with Jeannette Catsoulis writing, "Surreal, sophisticated, and sometimes sickening, Infinity Pool suggests that while the elder Cronenberg might be fixated on the disintegration of our bodies, his son is more concerned with the destruction of our souls."[25] Esther Zuckerman of Vanity Fair commended the cast performances (particularly Goth's), but was overall mixed on the film, asserting that it is "provocative with questionable payoff".[26]

Comparing the film to Possessor in a positive Los Angeles Times review, Katie Walsh wrote that Infinity Pool "is larger in scope than its predecessor, the narrative grander, sharper, funnier and more wickedly perverse."[27] Meagan Navarro of Bloody Disgusting also gave the film a positive review, writing, "Cronenberg’s sense of style, paired with an unrelenting sense of dread and tension and two utterly captivating, depraved leads ensure these provocative waters are well worth wading into."[28]

In a negative review, Michael O'Sullivan from The Washington Post claimed that the movie has an "eye-roll-inducing plot" and that Cronenberg has inherited some of his father's worst excesses: sophomoric, fetishistic violence and gratuitous sexualization.[29] In another negative review from The Hollywood Reporter, David Rooney claimed that the movie lacks substance and has a silly storyline.[30] IndieWire described the film as shallow, cold and clammy.[31] Mae Abdulbaki of Screen Rant gave the film a two out of five, feeling the story is messy and lacks cohesion.[32] Reuben Baron of Looper noted that the film's attempt at cultural commentary is shallow and that the film gives little reason for viewers to care about its "loathsome characters", although Baron did praise Goth's performance.[33]

References

  1. ^ "Infinity Pool". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  2. ^ Willmore, Alison (January 27, 2023). "The Numbing Spectacle of Infinity Pool". Vulture. New York City: New York Media. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
  3. ^ Olsen, Mark (January 22, 2023). "Brandon Cronenberg breaks down 'Infinity Pool,' the most disturbing film at Sundance". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  4. ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (May 10, 2019). "Celluloid Dreams boards Brandon Cronenberg's Infinity Pool (exclusive)". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on May 10, 2019. Retrieved May 10, 2019. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; May 26, 2021 suggested (help)
  5. ^ Miska, Brad (May 13, 2019). "Brandon Cronenberg Opens the Luxurious 'Infinity Pool'". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved May 13, 2019.
  6. ^ Evans, Chris (November 17, 2020). "Cronenberg's Infinity Pool to film in Croatia and Hungary". KFTV.com. Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved November 17, 2020. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; December 6, 2021 suggested (help)
  7. ^ Squires, John (June 23, 2021). "'Infinity Pool': Alexander Skarsgård Set to Star in Next Sci-fi Thriller from Brandon Cronenberg". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
  8. ^ Lang, Brent (June 23, 2021). "Alexander Skarsgård Starring in Brandon Cronenberg's Sci-Fi Thriller Infinity Pool". Variety. Archived from the original on June 23, 2021. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
  9. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (June 23, 2021). "Brandon Cronenberg Opens the Luxurious 'Infinity Pool'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
  10. ^ Zajović, Milena (October 4, 2021). "PRODUCTION: Brandon Cronenberg Shoots New Feature in Croatia and Hungary". Film New Europe. Archived from the original on October 4, 2021. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; October 7, 2021 suggested (help)
  11. ^ "Brandon Cronenberg's Infinity Pool filming in Šibenik, Croatia". Hrvatski audiovizualni centar. October 1, 2021. Archived from the original on October 1, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  12. ^ Miska, Brad (December 7, 2022). "Sundance Film Festival 2023 – Images from All the Horror Movies Just Announced!". Bloody Disgusting.
  13. ^ Beth, Amy. "How to Watch 'Infinity Pool': Showtimes and Release Date". collider.com. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  14. ^ Roxborough, Scott. "Berlin Fest Adds World Premieres of John Malkovich's 'Seneca,' Alex Gibney's Boris Becker Doc". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  15. ^ Squires, John (September 21, 2022). "Infinity Pool – Brandon Cronenberg's New Movie Starring Mia Goth Rated "NC-17" with Appeal Underway". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved September 21, 2022.
  16. ^ Ruimy, Jordan (August 13, 2022). "Reaction to Brandon Cronenberg's Infinity Pool Hints at Another NC-17 Shocker". World of Reel. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
  17. ^ Zigo, Tom (October 6, 2022). "CARA Appeals Board Upholds 'NC-17' Rating for Infinity Pool" (PDF). FilmRatings.com (Press release).
  18. ^ Squires, John (October 19, 2022). "Infinity Pool – Brandon Cronenberg's New Movie Starring Mia Goth Edited for Hard "R" Rating". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
  19. ^ a b D'Alessandro, Anthony (January 29, 2023). "'Avatar 2' Now No. 11 Among Top-Grossing US Pics Of All-Time, Bests 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' – Box Office Sunday". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  20. ^ McClintock, Pamela (January 29, 2023). "'Avatar 2' Flies Past 'Star Wars: Force Awakens' at Global Box Office, 'To Leslie' Disappears". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  21. ^ "Domestic 2023 Weekend 5". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  22. ^ "Infinity Pool". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
  23. ^ "Infinity Pool Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
  24. ^ Fear, David (January 22, 2023). "'Infinity Pool': Welcome to 'The White Lotus' on Bad Acid". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
  25. ^ Catsoulis, Jeannette (January 26, 2023). "'Infinity Pool' Review: Body Trouble". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  26. ^ Zuckerman, Esther (January 22, 2023). "Mia Goth Terrifies Alexander Skarsgard in Infinity Pool". Vanity Fair. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
  27. ^ Walsh, Katie (January 25, 2023). "Review: Brandon Cronenberg's weird and wonderful 'Infinity Pool' is a unique ride". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  28. ^ Navarro, Meagan (January 22, 2023). "'Infinity Pool' Sundance Review – Provocative Horror Movie Pushes Its R-Rating". Bloody Disgusting!. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  29. ^ O'Sullivan, Michael (January 25, 2023). "'Infinity Pool'? More like dead-on-arrival pool". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  30. ^ Rooney, David (January 26, 2023). "'Infinity Pool' Review: Alexander Skarsgard Gets a Taste of Blood-Drenched Hedonism in Brandon Cronenberg's Vacation in Hell". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  31. ^ Lattanzio, Ryan (January 22, 2023). "'Infinity Pool' Review: Brandon Cronenberg's New Nightmare Is Shallow and Hedonistic". IndieWire. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  32. ^ Abdulbaki, Mae (January 24, 2023). "Infinity Pool Review: Skarsgård & Goth Are Intense In Wild, Empty Horror [Sundance]". Screen Rant. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  33. ^ Baron, Reuben (January 24, 2023). "Infinity Pool Review: Infinite Talent, Limited Payoff". Looper. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
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