Before I got COVID-19, I did squeeze in a movie with my brain doctor’s OK.
Cronenberg has a son and when it comes to this movie, the acorn doesn’t fall far from the tree! But put the Horror aside for a moment since Infinity does raise interesting questions around the story’s premise; this isn’t a spoiler as it’s present in the trailer; if you could have a clone take your place for the consequences, would you do it? Throw in that the clone is an exact copy of you in every detail (physically, mentally and spiritually), including why capital punishment is being used. The clone suffers, dies, etc. Now, being a Horror movie, wouldn’t you also ponder until you die…am I the clone? Did the kill the original?
Beyond the philosophical debate, Infinity treads on some familiar territory already covered by Westworld (the recently cancelled HBO one)…rich people with enough money will do incredibly immoral things if they can escape proper justice. In the protagonist’s defense, the person who killed with a car was a true accident but being inebriated when it occurred puts the blame back on the driver even in America. Over time you do begin to wonder if the police and/or the new friends set this all up to put what will follow into motion.
Now if you’re offended by elements the Cronenberg Dynasty is notorious for, namely drug usage and explicit sexual things, don’t bother watching. I would agree some does take away from the story’s point (or my interpretation) yet I could defend the writer/director for it being present to show people’s decadence and immorality on display; again, the same with Westworld‘s debauchery. I’ve seen the re-make of The Fly and Dead Ringers so I can guess I was vaccinated partially. Much like COVID-19, my stomach still turned a few times, I just didn’t barf unlike a famous scene in Trainspotting giving me the dry heaves.
One thing I loved were the details to the country for the resort. Based upon the climate, the poverty in the countryside and militaristic trappings, you can tell it’s supposed to be in the Balkans, probably one of the former parts called Yugoslavia. Being Cronenberg though, its language is entirely alien characters not in Romantic nor Cyrillic alphabets. Good thing he chose to retain the numbers we all know.
If you love Horror movies, go for it with Infinity Pool, especially with how popular Mia Goth is via Pearl and X. If you are like me, love to ponder the questions about “what if” tech as per this, Westworld or the highly underrated Downsizing, hang in there. Everyone else, just pass. You may not get to the end when it hits the fan.
Alamo Extras: They were late letting us in so I’ll do a hybrid, what they showed and what I would throw in personally. A cigar ad for Muriel (I don’t think cigar commercials are on TV anymore); a music video I can’t recall; Trailers for a Seventies flick called Clones and another Horror named Society; a newsreel of dumb college students doing track and field underwater. Now if I were in charge of the programming, I would throw in Trailers for Dual starring Karen Gillan and Aaron Paul (on my Hulu queue), the lame Gemini Man with Will Smith, Futureworld starring Blythe Danner and Peter Fonder (trust me on this), Single White Female and The Double with Jesse Eisenberg.
Infinity Pool: Recommended only for strong stomachs
Before I got COVID-19, I did squeeze in a movie with my brain doctor’s OK.
Cronenberg has a son and when it comes to this movie, the acorn doesn’t fall far from the tree! But put the Horror aside for a moment since Infinity does raise interesting questions around the story’s premise; this isn’t a spoiler as it’s present in the trailer; if you could have a clone take your place for the consequences, would you do it? Throw in that the clone is an exact copy of you in every detail (physically, mentally and spiritually), including why capital punishment is being used. The clone suffers, dies, etc. Now, being a Horror movie, wouldn’t you also ponder until you die…am I the clone? Did the kill the original?
Beyond the philosophical debate, Infinity treads on some familiar territory already covered by Westworld (the recently cancelled HBO one)…rich people with enough money will do incredibly immoral things if they can escape proper justice. In the protagonist’s defense, the person who killed with a car was a true accident but being inebriated when it occurred puts the blame back on the driver even in America. Over time you do begin to wonder if the police and/or the new friends set this all up to put what will follow into motion.
Now if you’re offended by elements the Cronenberg Dynasty is notorious for, namely drug usage and explicit sexual things, don’t bother watching. I would agree some does take away from the story’s point (or my interpretation) yet I could defend the writer/director for it being present to show people’s decadence and immorality on display; again, the same with Westworld‘s debauchery. I’ve seen the re-make of The Fly and Dead Ringers so I can guess I was vaccinated partially. Much like COVID-19, my stomach still turned a few times, I just didn’t barf unlike a famous scene in Trainspotting giving me the dry heaves.
One thing I loved were the details to the country for the resort. Based upon the climate, the poverty in the countryside and militaristic trappings, you can tell it’s supposed to be in the Balkans, probably one of the former parts called Yugoslavia. Being Cronenberg though, its language is entirely alien characters not in Romantic nor Cyrillic alphabets. Good thing he chose to retain the numbers we all know.
If you love Horror movies, go for it with Infinity Pool, especially with how popular Mia Goth is via Pearl and X. If you are like me, love to ponder the questions about “what if” tech as per this, Westworld or the highly underrated Downsizing, hang in there. Everyone else, just pass. You may not get to the end when it hits the fan.
Alamo Extras: They were late letting us in so I’ll do a hybrid, what they showed and what I would throw in personally. A cigar ad for Muriel (I don’t think cigar commercials are on TV anymore); a music video I can’t recall; Trailers for a Seventies flick called Clones and another Horror named Society; a newsreel of dumb college students doing track and field underwater. Now if I were in charge of the programming, I would throw in Trailers for Dual starring Karen Gillan and Aaron Paul (on my Hulu queue), the lame Gemini Man with Will Smith, Futureworld starring Blythe Danner and Peter Fonder (trust me on this), Single White Female and The Double with Jesse Eisenberg.