Irreversible Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Irreversible Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf May 20, 2023

2002’s “Irreversible” is specifically engineered to stress viewers out. This is the concept from writer/director Gaspar Noe, who looks to shake up the expectations of revenge cinema, using the gonzo attitude of youth and European sensibilities to fashion a brutal tale of vengeance that’s told in reverse, working back from extreme violence into an extended understanding of relationships and discoveries. “Irreversible” is a difficult sit, requiring viewers to be fully aware of the hostility and viciousness Noe is eager to share, working to bring some sort of demented poetry to the viewing experience as the material bends over backwards to study the madness of humanity and life itself. It’s bleak and punishing, but there’s something wild about the feature that keeps it gripping, with the gimmick of it all actually connecting as intended, effectively disorienting viewers with shocking imagery and aural dread.

Enjoying a little nightlife and time with friends, couple Alex (Monica Bellucci) and Marcus (Vincent Cassel) are joined by pal, and Alex’s ex, Pierre (Albert Dupontel), with the trio enjoying banter, memories, and social interactions, though Marcus can’t keep himself away from drugs to help amplify his sense of fun. Alex elects to leave her boyfriend after an argument, deciding to walk back home, which involves a detour through a pedestrian underpass. In the isolated area, Alex witnesses a prostitute being beaten by vicious pimp La Tenia (Jo Prestia), who soon turns his attention to her. Coming across the crime scene, Marcus finds Alex near-death, using his rage to pursue revenge, which takes him into the depths of Rectum, an S&M club, to find the perpetrator.

“Irreversible” offers the misguided wrath of Marcus as an opener, and most of the horrors in the endeavor are found in the first half of the feature, which track the raging man’s efforts to find the monster that attempted to kill Alex. The woman’s experience is saved for later, and it’s a nightmare Noe hopes to remain on for as long as possible, taking in a beating and sexual assault with attention to detail that will test the resolve of most viewers. The trick of “Irreversible” is time, with the tale revealing reactions before actions, keeping things hazily defined in terms of motivation while human response registers vividly. It’s not a welcome way to approach every movie, but the idea works here, inspiring an odyssey into darkness and carelessness that’s completely crafted with a love for confusion. This extends to cinematography, which pursues spinning coverage of confrontations, joined by music and noise that pushes hard on the audience, almost daring them to continue as the tale winds backward to understand who Alex, Marcus, and Pierre were before violence ravaged their lives.

Two versions of “Irreversible” are included on this release: the Theatrical Cut (93:27) and the “Straight Cut” (86:01), with Noe going back to the film, re-editing it into chronological order for a 2020 release.

Irreversible Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation represents a recent 2K restoration of "Irreversible," with Altered Innocence offering this information: "Gaspar Noe shot and restored "Irreversible" at 25fps. To preserve the official runtime and the natural pitch of the frenetic audio for U.S. audiences we've encoded the film at 29.97fps progressively using a 2:2 pulldown method. No interlacing will be detectable as a result." The picture works with a lot of darkness, reinforcing the forbidding tone of the endeavor and covering its filmmaking tricks and lurid content. Delineation isn't threatened during the viewing experience, with frame information decently preserved. Detail isn't strong, with a hazier sense of frame particulars, dealing with a heavily processed endeavor, with chunkier grain. Color is compelling, with heavy use of red decoration and lighting throughout. As the story winds back in time, digitally amplified hues arrive, with flashier party lights and living space intimacy. Source is in good condition.

Irreversible Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix for "Irreversible" works with the heaviness of the soundtrack, with the opening half of the feature involving a deep synth groan and harder scoring cues with dangerous environments. Music eventually transitions to orchestral offerings, and everything sounds sharp, with crisp instrumentation, and low-end carries real weight. Dialogue exchanges are fully understood, even within loud environments. Surrounds are active, pushing out music and atmospherics, including community activity and street chaos.

Irreversible Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "The 'Irreversible' Odyssey" (41:35, HD) is a making-of for the feature, offering interviews with writer/director Gaspar Noe, cinematographer Benoit Debie, visual effects supervisor Rodolphe Chabrier, Cannes Film Festival chief selector Thierry Fremaux, producers Vincent Maraval, Christophe Rossignon, and Richard Grandpierre, and actors Monica Bellucci, Vincent Cassel, Jo Prestina, and Albert Dupontel. The movie was born out Noe's desire to make anything while trying to launch "Enter the Void," looking to superstar couple Bellucci and Cassel to participate in "the film Stanley Kubrick failed to make," with "Eyes Wide Shut" an influence on the production and marketing plan. Taking inspiration from a Harold Pinter play, Noe wanted to push the boundaries of a "rape and revenge" endeavor, trying to rework "Death Wish" in his own way. Armed with a two-page script, the helmer relied on improvisation to form scenes, investing in rehearsals to find the right energy. The sexual assault sequence is deconstructed, with Bellucci willing to go to extremes to make the moment horrific, and the interviewees point out the tricks involved in generating such violence, including the creation of a digital penis. Time in the Rectum club is recalled, with the roughness of the environment too much for some, and more digital trickery is identified. The Cannes Film Festival experience is detailed, which is described here as a "football match," pulling an emotional reaction out of viewers (at least those who didn't walk out on it). The featurette closes with the interviewees and their final thoughts on "Irreversible," with most praising it as a masterpiece while laboring to remind viewers that Noe isn't a monster in real life.

• "Time Destroys All Things" (14:33, HD) is a video essay by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas.

• SFX Featurette (7:09, SD) is an interview with visual effects supervisor Rodolphe Chabrier, who walks through "Irreversible," pointing out many of the digital tricks used to bring the feature to life. Most interesting here is footage of the sequences before manipulation, really showing off how much work was required.

• Music Videos (SD) offer "Stress" (4:43) and "Outrage" (4:35), composed by Thomas Bangalter.

• And Teaser Trailers (3:16, SD) and a Restoration Trailer (1:35, HD) are included.

Irreversible Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Noe revisited "Irreversible" in 2020 with the "Straight Cut," reworking the film to play in chronological order. It's an interesting idea, but certainly not the way the endeavor is meant to be seen, as it doesn't quite work without its dark magic tricks, losing its power. The feature is best served in a state of discombobulation, with Noe's manipulations effective in this early form of what would become the helmer's natural state of provocation (he's quick to repeat himself), resulting in the best picture of his wildly uneven career. "Irreversible" is abhorrent and tremendously hard on the senses. That's the point of it, with Noe trying to inspire something deep within viewers. It's not a profound study of the human condition, but it's a remarkable understanding of punishment, sold with a harrowing cinematic presence that provides quite an art house ride into Hell.