Diving Deep into the Disturbing Depths of “Infinite Pool”
As travel restrictions ease, the concept of a “revenge” vacation is gaining traction. However, in Brandon Cronenberg’s horror film, “Infinite Pool,” vacationing transforms into a terrifying descent into danger. Brandon, son of body horror maestro David Cronenberg, steps into his father’s shoes, carving his own niche in the horror genre.
“Infinite Pool”, starring Alexander Skarsgård (“Big Little Lies,” “True Blood”) and Mia Goth, weaves a sinister tale of vacationing gone wrong. This explicit R-rated film lures viewers with its shocking content, prominently displayed in its trailer. Despite mixed reception among some film circles, international critics hail it as a rare gem, reflected in its 86% Rotten Tomatoes score. So, what is this film, playfully dubbed a horror version of “The White Lotus,” truly about?
Atonement for a Price
The narrative unfolds in “Li Tolqa,” a fictional, economically challenged nation. Despite its backwardness, Li Tolqa thrives on tourism, boasting laws exceptionally favorable to foreign visitors.
One peculiar law dictates that foreign tourists who commit capital offenses can circumvent punishment by paying a hefty “atonement fee” to create a doppelganger. This clone mirrors the original in appearance and consciousness, bearing their memories. The double undergoes a public execution, absolving the original offender of any consequences. This somewhat flawed sci-fi premise forms the bedrock of the film’s plot.
James, a struggling writer, and his affluent wife, Em, arrive in Li Tolqa for a getaway. Fate takes a dark turn when James becomes entangled in a fatal car accident. At the police station, the authorities casually mention this legal loophole, offering James an escape from culpability. While Em is reeling from the shock , James becomes captivated by a clique of wealthy tourists who’ve also experienced “execution,” ultimately becoming their plaything. From there James embarks on a descent into depravity.
“Infinite Pool”'s setting bears resemblance to Kubrick’s “A Clockwork Orange.” In a scene reminiscent of Alex’s initial depravity in “A Clockwork Orange,” wealthy tourists, fueled by alcohol, invade a local residence and assault the owners. Whereas “A Clockwork Orange” grapples with the relationship between violence and society, “Infinite Pool” examines how wealth insulates foreigners from the repercussions of their crimes in the face of enormous wealth disparity.
While a fiction, the film’s narrative touches upon power and human nature. The audience learns early on the crime tourists are often subjected to, this contrasts starkly with how human life is disregarded by wealthy tourists later, this contrast serves to highlight rifts and oppositions in modern culture.
The Allure of Erasing Oneself
Certainly the issue of locals and tourists is just the backdrop of the story, “Infinite Pool”'s horror stems from the dark joy of killing “yourself”. James, the washed-up author and protagonist is stuck in creative limbo and is only in Li Tolqa at the behest of his wife.
Mia Goth portrays Gabby, who seduces James under the facade of a loyal fan. Gabby and others manipulate him and are responsible for James losing himself, James does find himself smiling on his first time experiencing a double being stabbed to death.
James finds enjoyment in killing “himself” in Gabby’s subsequent games, however, eventually James backs out due to psychological stress and is offered an exit home. James ends up taking the offer, but decides to return to the dark world of Li Tolqa. On the way home, Gabby and the others transform back into everyday people by discussing keys and luggage - the horrors from just moments ago all forgotten.
The rich look at identity erasure as another stress-relieving avenue, however, James sees this as another path needed to destroy the old incompetent version of himself.
This novelty is somewhat blunted as there needed to be a sturdier plot between James’ personal transformation and the dark setting of the duplicate law. Ultimately, this is circumvented by excessive scenes of tripping and sex to convey a concept that lacks full delivery. The camera techniques coupled with these shortcomings can lead to physical discomfort in the second half of the movie, perhaps father David may need to mentor Brandon more.
The Reign of the “Scream Queen”
While Alexander Skarsgård’s portrayal portrays a downed-out writer, it will be Mia Goth’s craziness that captivates audiences after watching “Infinite Pool”.
She is uniquely complex as she displays innocent and sweet charm as well as cold and sexy mannerisms in her interactions, her bold nature appears as well after James carries out his murder.
These rich and distinct details seamlessly transition in Mia’s performance as she creates an unsettling feel. Her upbringing of wandering is what helped her disguise roles so well.
Mia became a prominent fixture after her role as “P” in “Nymphomaniac”. Despite never receiving professional experience, she always held firm on her belief in acting. After subsequent roles in thrilling horror genres such as “A Cure for Wellness” and “Suspiria”, Mia’s performance reached its peak with her “Scream Queen” role after the movie "X’ and it’s following role of “Pearl”.
Mia plays dual characters in the move “X” with both roles being sexual in nature, this is what defined her spot in restricted cinema. In the sequel, “Pearl”, Mia plays a murderous maniac stunted by her familial boundaries - her role defined an infamous serial killer, in part due to her emotionally revealing nearly ten-minute monologue. Mia’s atypical looks are what also makes Mia’s performances successful: they beguile film viewers into situations that will end them in a negative light.
This is what makes Mia uniquely special in horror films, a role that if wasn’t so niche, that would garner an academy award. Surely Goth’s next releases will also become big successes.
