Infinity Pool boasting orgies and full-frontal scene branded 'White Lotus for ... trends now
Infinity Pool has left critics aghast with its scenes of executions, orgies and full-frontal nudity in first reviews of the shocking horror film starring Alexander Skarsgard and Mia Goth.
The film, directed by Possessor's Brandon Cronenberg, follows writer James Foster (Skarsgard) and Em Foster (Cleopatra Coleman), a couple enjoying an all-inclusive beach vacation in the fictional island of La Tolqa, when a fatal accident exposes the resort's perverse subculture of hedonistic tourism, violence and surreal horrors.
In one of the film's most shocking scenes, Goth, who plays a free-spirited tourist and actress Gabi, performs a sex act on Skarsgard's Foster, with the writer ejaculating with his manhood fully shown on screen.
Shock horror: Infinity Pool has left critics aghast with its scenes of executions, orgies and full-frontal nudity in first reviews of the shocking horror film starring Alexander Skarsgard and Mia Goth
Other gory scenes show a clone of Skarsgard being disemboweled and orgies - with the R-rated film branded 'The White Lotus- but for sickos' upon its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.
Skarsgard said himself of the role: 'Fighting a naked version of myself to the death and then being breastfed by Mia … that’s not something you get to do very often as an actor.'
Collider critic Ross Bonaime writes: 'As hallucinogenic substances are brought into the story, Cronenberg creates terrifying yet seductive imagery that combines extreme sexual imagery, disconcerting horror elements, and just a complete unawareness of what the hell is going on.
'But the problem with Infinity Pool is the decision to set up this fascinating concept about how rich, white tourists treat often poor vacation spots as their own personal playgrounds, and instead of exploring that fully, decides to go down a path of weird-as-s**t concepts with seemingly little reason to exist other than to jolt the audience and give the world even more Mia Goth memes.
Oh my: The film, directed by Brandon Cronenberg, follows writer James Foster (Skarsgard) and Em Foster (Cleopatra Coleman), a couple enjoying an all-inclusive beach vacation in the fictional island of La Tolqa, when a fatal accident exposes the resort's perverse subculture
'Infinity Pool is a journey that it’s hard not to get sucked into while it's happening, laughing at its absurdity, and shocked by the darkness Cronenberg is harnessing. But like the morning after a wild party once the hangover is winding down, it’s easy to look back and wonder what the hell happened in Cronenberg’s latest.
IndieWire critic Ryan Lattanzio praised the 'terrifically unhinged' performances of the leads but said 'the whole thing feels bloodless, cold and clammy as a speculum.
'Despite the pile-up of blood, guts, holes, and d**ks in a hallucinogenic montage that punctures Infinity Pool’s otherwise weirdly sleepy atmosphere, the film is never as appalling as it seems to confidently believe it is.
'There’s a psychedelic orgy montage suffused with all manner of body parts, James and Gabi high out of their skulls on some kind of religious drug and pounding each other in ecstasy, that feels very similar to the one in Possessor where Andrea Riseborough suddenly had a penis. This is likely one of the moments that originally got Infinity Pool its justifiable NC-17 rating.
The Daily Beast's Nick Schager called Infinity Pool Cronenberg's 'finest atrocity to date' while praising Skargard for cementing his reputation as Hollywood's 'most daring leading man'.
