INFINITY POOL (2023)

Are we ever certain that we have full control of our destiny? This may seem like a loaded question but it is one that Brandon Cronenberg asks us to contemplate in his 2023 thriller, Infinity Pool.

Set at a luxurious getaway resort in the tropics, James (Alexander Skarsgård) and Em (Cleopatra Coleman) find their break from the rigors of reality come to a screeching halt after a horrible motor vehicle accident. Torn between calling the police or just leaving the scene of the crime, they are convinced to keep quiet about the incident by the convincing Gabi (Mia Goth) and hey husband Alban. When they James is brought in for questioning, he is confronted with a terrifying truth about how the locals of this island paradise handle situations like this. As more truths are revealed, James is thrust down a rabbit hole of horror and uncertainty, leading to a conclusion that will leave everyone changed.

Cronenberg is no stranger to creating mind bending films and Infinity Pool is no different. While the story is terrifying on it’s own, he has taken the level of horror to a new level as he weaves in psychedelic segments that are sure to leave his audiences reeling.

While the unnerving story is frightful enough, the selective moments of gore seek to only enhance the horrors that befall the characters. Watching Skarsgård’s unwitting decent into madness is unsettling enough. His devotion to the role is what is the driving force of the film. Only when he is paired against Goth, do we see the true desperation that he is forced to play in a film that is not for the queasy or faint of heart when it comes to films regarding insanity.

While there are many twists and turns within the film, the complex conclusion of the film is what truly makes this film worth the watch. The audience will be left with plenty to discuss and analyze until their next watch and maybe even beyond that.