Titane review: Julia Ducournau’s dark, gory thriller might not be everyone’s cup of tea

4/5

Story:

A young Alexia meets with a car accident and has to surgically put a titanium plate in her head. As she grows older, she develops a special affinity towards cars.

Review:

A little smile, a bit more squirms and a whole lot of gashy, gory moments. This is what Jane Ducournau has prepared for the audience with her latest acclaimed horror thriller, Titane. The 2021 Palme d’Or winner is a force to reckon with. A movie that can take the audience on a visual treat while at the same time giving them heart racing gory scenes, that are crafted with solid expertise.

The movie tells the tale of a young woman Alexia, who when met with a car accident as a child has to put up a titanium plate in her head. While with nuance, telling the audience that she has a love for cars, her character has a whole new affection for the four wheelers after the surgery. What is only a child's innocent affection, soon kicks out to be a sexual, not so pragmatic relationship with the machines. With one intense thriller reveal after another, the movie kicks out to Ducournau’s world almost immediately.

The movie is to behold, with the filmmaker showing expert ability in turning shots and scenes into ones that people would rather not watch, but do it anyways simply because of the gore and how she delivers it on screen. From a very graphic surgery to scenes of gushing blood, horror kills, abdomen tightening shots, painful sex foreplay and many more, Titane has the ability to get all sorts of emotions and reactions from out of the viewer. The lighting and colour palettes are pleasing to the eyes at the same time bringing a certain fire to it.

Coming to the story and Ducournau’s screenplay, the movie is innocent and with some lovely instances, while at the same time is a disturbing and squeamish dish that is served hot and cold simultaneously. With Alexia played to mind altering and gut wrenching agony by a debutant Agathe Rousselle and Vincent Lindon perfecting an ageing fireman captain, who has finally found an end to his long search for his lost son, this is only one of the many cogs of Titane.

The arcs of the two leading characters are anything from pleasant to the eye, but there is a touch of pleasantry about it. But pleasantries are not guaranteed for everyone. While some leave the movie carrying the feeling of happiness, fullness and the success of having watched a great movie, others could very well walk away from the movie because they can’t handle Ducournau’s screeching visuals. The former will have received the filmmakers hot and tasty dish while the latter would have received the cold, gory and even “unholy” part.

With great acting that can transform the pain and agony through the screen to the viewers, some amazing camera work accompanying great music and soundtrack which including a multifaceted rendition of Wayfaring Stranger, which is all brought together by the visionary filmmaking style of Ducournau, who shows early glimpses of filmmakers such as Gaspar Noe, Titane is a movie that is a must watch. But what you take away from the movie or even if you take the movie away from yourself, is up to you.

Verdict:

Titane is a compelling and squeamish movie that is brought together with great technical perfection along with some master direction. While all the plaudits the movie is receiving is easily justified, it might not be everyone’s cup of tea.