There's so much wrong with this movie.. I felt so icky afterwards I wanted to take a shower and cleanse my mind with another viewing of Booksmart (2019), but it was already too late and I had to go to sleep.
A couple of thoughts:
- I actually liked the beginning, because I thought this was going to be some sort of stalker story (which it kind of is, I guess) and I wanted to figure out Charlotte's (Allison Williams) motive - jealousy seemed to be too simple.
- Lizzie (Logan Browning) basically "traded" one abuser for another? Anton (Steven Weber) gains her trust, manipulates her mind, then violates her body and calls it a gift, because that's the only way to reach "The Perfection". Charlotte gains her trust, manipulates her mind, then violates her body and calls it salvation, because that's the only way to see the truth - which we then should accept as female empowerment?
- On one hand (no pun intended, seriously) the writers and producers of this film seem to have lived in a bubble for the past couple of years when it comes to the #MeToo movement and such, because this is a rape revenge massacre at its most exploitative.
- On the other hand I wonder if they drew inspiration from some of the most prominent sexual abuse cases that have become public in recent years. The tattoo? Reminded me about this NXIVM sex-cult who branded their victims. The institutionalized sexual abuse of talented girls? Reminded me about those hundreds of female USA Gymnastics athletes, who were abused by their trusted physician. The assault was so subtle and full of plausible deniability that the victims weren't even sure whether they were actually abused. In the movie the abuse is portrayed as some sort of gross religious ritual, with the victims sitting on a stage, strapped to a chair - which we should accept has been going on under the radar for decades?
- But it has a mixed-raced lesbian couple who not only survives but is also making out and the two actresses were even part of the editing process of the sex scene (I guess to make sure it isn't too male-gazey?), so :fist: to progress, or whatever.
I honestly would have profited from some trigger warnings before watching this, so be aware of the following content: Bugs, delusional parasitosis, vomit, suicide, amputation, ableism, paedophilia, child sexual abuse, (threat of) rape and gore in general.
