Directed by: Brandon Cronenberg
Written by: Brandon Cronenberg
Starring: Alexander Skarsgård, Mia Goth, Cleopatra Coleman, Jalil Lespert, Amanda Brugel
Rating: [3.5/5]
Governments of desirable vacation locations make a general agreement with the tourists who visit where they will allow them to access their nation, and in return these visitors pump money back into the economy. That then leaves the actual locals of these nations having to deal with the unruliness and lack of reverence from these tourists that makes their presence quite destructive. Infinity Pool seeks to both present this issue through an esoteric way as a Cronenburg would, but also dive into a way to punish them in quite the satisfying manner.
Well-known novelist James Foster (Alexander Skarsgård) and his wife are on vacation at a luxury all-inclusive resort in the nation Li Tolqa. While there they run into a fan of his work, Gabi (Mia Goth) who invites the couple to spend some time with her and her husband. While not advisable, the foursome leave the resort for some sunbathing when they accidentally run over and kill a local.
If there’s one thing anyone watching Infinity Pool will walk away from after experiencing Brandon Crongenberg’s latest nightmare fuel, it will probably be Mia Goth yelling out “James” in the most bone-chilling manner. A sound amongst the many heard in this film that get right at the central horror of this story that goes in directions one could not possibly expect. The film carries a simple message through its ramifications about the fact consequences can be bought out for the proper price tag for those who can afford it. We see this all the time in our world, but the way it gets displayed in this feature occurs in such a fascinating manner that digs into something quite sinister.
Of course, in delivering this resounding message, Brandon Cronenburg needs to display and have it play out in a drenched in weird visuals in a trippy manner and all the necessary body horror his namesake required. We have this all play out in ways that metaphorically and quite literally display a nation such as this one finds a way to find some sort of justice for its local population while also making the rich suffer at least a bit for when they act with impunity. Giving it away would serve as an injustice but man it really does hammer home the point and further makes this experience such a nightmare for James.
Getting himself entangled with Gabi and her other friends continually proves as a terrible circumstance for him, turning what should serve as a peaceful vacation into something he somehow cannot escape. It runs from what initially appears as recreational and shifts its way to the ritualistic that somehow occurs when these individuals find themselves outside their normal routine. They do not dare act this way when at home and surrounded by individuals they know and love, but removing these people and placing them in a foreign place somehow unleashes something, which Infinity Pool seeks to display in all of its depravity.
While we receive a truly committed performance by Alexander Skarsgård really doing everything asked of him, the lasting impact comes from the performance by Mia Goth. She has quickly cemented herself as an unmissable talent in the horror genre where she always understands the assignment and man does she deliver here. Serving as an alluring figure but also very much an oppressor for this man in a sexually deviant manner, Goth operates in high gear here. She brings this propulsive energy to every scene that truly makes her a terrifying figure by leading this deranged group of individuals. With so many fantastic performances under her belt so early in her career, I can only look forward to what other way she will dazzle within this genre.
As someone who did not care for Brandon Cronenberg’s previous feature Possessor, I thoroughly enjoyed this nightmarish experience he has created with Infinity Pool. He found a way to ground the trippy and disturbing visuals with a story that feels fully fleshed out. He manages to dig into something that many can relate to, and he lures us into this luxury and quickly turns it into hell on Earth for James. A well-crafted film from top to bottom, bringing the promise one should expect from a Cronenberg.
Films with Josh 
