“I am the best film director in the world,” proclaimed Lars von Trier rather brashly following the debut of his newest film at the Cannes Film Festival. This was immediately after he entered the media room to a shower of boos from critics who had just painstakingly viewed Antichrist, the latest from the Danish director. Much controversy has arisen because of this film, with several groups vying to get the movie banned due to the explicit graphic nature of the film, which is probably an understatement as to exactly how violent this film really is.

The movie starts off with a marvelous sequence that depicts the death of a child who falls out of a window while his parents are making love. This leads to the mother, She (neither main character is given a proper name) enters a state of depression in which she faints at the funeral service and is then hospitalized. Her husband happens to be a therapist, and decides to go against his own preachings and treats a member of his family, much to the chagrin of his wife, who would rather just stay in the hospital and be treated by “actual doctors”. He and She then venture off to an isolated cabin in the woods, known as Eve, to tackle her greatest fear as a way to overcome the grief. What happens then is a series of events that I care not to explain, as each event in the movie adds a new twist to the film, as well as opening another perspective on what the film is trying to say. The film is divided into four parts;  Grief, Pain and Despair are the first three, in which all three feelings combine to create the Three Beggars. Each emotion has an animal representative, and opens to the film to new possibilities in each of their respective acts.

Obviously with the title, there are many religious aspects of this movie, but von Trier doesn’t hammer away at the subject, and introduces the majority of the issue in the final acts. There are many who have questioned the Danish director about his interpretation on women in this film. At first, I nearly shrugged this sentiment off as people looking too much into something and trying to stir up controversy. But much to my surprise, the characters themselves bring up the issue, and it adds yet another viewpoint at what is being said.  This is one of those films where you almost have to ask another person what they got from the film, because more than likely they came up with something different, because there is no one clear-cut message one can get from the film.

As for the acting, Willem Dafoe is very effective as the controlled husband. But the majority of the movie rides on the character that Charlotte Gainsbourg creates, and she delivers the performance with near perfection. Gainsbourg goes above and beyond to emanate the emotional damage that her character is going through, which is jarring and disturbing.  Slumdog Millionaire cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle creates an atmosphere that is pitch-perfect for what the movie is trying say. There are many dream sequences in this film, and they are absolutely astonishing, and help with the overall haunting experience. This movie will haunt you. I would almost bet everything I have that you will squirm at least once, and some people may not be able to stay in their chairs during the third act.

A movie that can be described in many ways, Antichrist is a riveting movie that defies what people tend to describe as graphic and takes you on a perilous journey through the grieving process. Haunting and downright disgusting as it may be, it is also one of the most artistic movies that you will see in this day in age. I’m not sure if I can ever bring myself to watch it again, but I urge you to watch it at least once.

As far as von Trier’s belief that he is the best film director in the world? This viewer certainly isn’t arguing against that notion.

A-

Notes: This film is not rated, due to the extremely graphic and violent nature, 104 minutes.