The evil truth of the woods is ugly

Director Lars von Trier became famous for the unique way in which he directs his films. “Antichrist” is no exception. Describing it as unique is an understatement.

Not only is the film made in the most attention-grabbing and visual manner, but it is also a very disturbing film that pushes you to the edge of the emotional spectrum.

The story surrounds a married couple, whose names the viewer never learns. Not until the credits roll are the characters, He (Willem Dafoe) and She (Charlotte Gainsbourg) named.

The film opens with the couple’s preoccupation with each other, witnessed by their infant son, who left his crib and fell out an open window.

The film then deals with the aftermath of this tragedy. She is hospitalized due to all the pain and grief from the accident. He, a psychologist and therapist, believes care and medication prescribed is not a wise course of action and decides to take his wife’s treatment into his own hands.

He has She undergo a number of exercises to deal with the pain. One of the exercises includes She telling him what she fears most, which reveals itself to be a remote area in the woods where their cabin is located; a place they call Eden.

He decides it will be good for She to face her fears, so the two venture to Eden in an attempt to heal her and resolve issues. However, what lies ahead is very dark.
The journey to Eden is where evil foreboding comes into full effect in harsh and unimaginable ways.

The cinematography is unique in its colors and effects. The ominous musical score also succeeds in maintaining a constant tense feeling about future events. The natural feeling of wishing nothing bad to happen is as fruitless as it is to try to understand, explain and/or rationalize Trier’s emotional wrecking ball of a story.

“Antichrist” is, overall, an art film, as seen in that Trier’s gothic-like imagery and disturbing horror themes are not filmed in the way that a mainstream film would be. The deep abundance of symbolism throughout the film cannot be easily dissected and understood.

The performances of Dafoe and Gainsbourg, the only characters seen in the film, are very emotional and convincing. Understanding why they do the things they do is most difficult, if not impossible, but these characters are somehow very believable nonetheless throughout the story.

Certainly “Antichrist” subjects itself to mixed reviews and opinions based on its content, which include descriptions of horrific, too brutal to handle events. The film is a good horror story as it is impossible to know what will happen next.

The violence is so brutal it shocks to the core each time. However, the brutality of the film is daring and does not come across as completely in-bad-taste.

The way the film was shot and the performances Dafoe and Gainsbourg give, justify it.
In the end, it is quite hard to digest and think about the dreadful details and events that have taken place on screen. Without question, “Antichrist” will leave an impression, one way or another, not easily forgotten.

Steve Theleen can be contacted at stheleen@keeneequinox.com.