7.5 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Alex and Marcus are a couple whose story is told over the course of a fateful day. The odyssey begins with a brutal killing then unspools in reverse to reveal the horrifying events that lead to the gut-wrenching, violent climax of the opening scene. Shot at 25fps.
Starring: Monica Bellucci, Vincent Cassel, Albert Dupontel, Jo Prestia, Philippe NahonForeign | 100% |
Drama | 46% |
Crime | Insignificant |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080i
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
French: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
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.
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.
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.
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.
Ultimate Revenge Edition
2002
Sympathy for Lady Vengeance | Ultimate Revenge Edition | 친절한 금자씨
2005
1972
1972
バレット・バレエ
1998
Jungfrukällan
1960
Città violenta / Final Shot / The Family
1970
1995
Pronto ad uccidere
1976
Rape Me
2000
Un condé
1970
2004
Slipcover in Original Pressing
2019
その男、凶暴につき
1989
The Dirty Seven / La belva dalla calda pelle
1982
アウトレイジ / Way of the Yakuza
2010
天注定 / Tian zhu ding
2013
2016
피에타
2012
Plemya
2014