Rating of
3.5/4
Full Metal Panic
Chris Kavan - wrote on 02/16/22
If David Cronenberg, David Lynch and Shin'ya Tsukamoto were thrown into a blender - Julia Ducournau's second feature, Titane, is what would come out. Despite the influences, Titane is a film unlike anything else out there - Agathe Rousselle plays Alexia, a car model/serial killer who goes on the run after some gruesome murders and almost being discovered and proceeds to pretend to be the long-lost son of fireman Vincent (Vincent Lindon - in fine form as well). Oh, and she's also been impregnated by a car and must work to bound herself to hide her rapidly expanding pregnancy. And, yes, it kind of is insane as it sounds but still works.
The greatest strength in Titane is not the body horror or killings but rather the relationship between Vincent and his "son". It is obvious Vincent knows this is a lie, but wants something, anything to replace the hole in his life - drugs aren't doing the trick - so he holds onto this obvious imposter and loves him. There is also an underlying eroticism to the whole thing - wholly uncomfortable as well - just below the surface. It leaves your skin crawling just a bit throughout and I think it's supposed to make you squirm as the film goes on. It also doesn't help that most of the scenes also involve large groups of muscular firemen dancing and drinking - with nary a woman in sight. Speaking of which - the use of music in this film is genius - from Vincent and Alexia dancing to "She's Not There" by The Zombies to "Wayfaring Stranger" by Lisa Abbott - good choices all around, even the heavy stuff.
Titane is not meant to appeal to the audiences who eat up the MCU and other major franchise films. It's niche and strange and unforgettable. It's a film that will stick with you, from the shocking car crash at the beginning to the birth scene at the end and for those who like a film that doesn't play things safe, it's a sign that provocative originality isn't dead and after Raw and Titane, I truly can't wait to see what else Ducournau has planned.
