Gaspar Noé’s infamous film Irreversible will return to theaters on February 10th in its proper chronological order, titled Irreversible: Straight Cut. It’s a graphic and devastating account of revenge that is not for the faint of heart.
After 20 years, Irreversible is still as shocking as ever
The original film unfolds in reverse chronological order as we spend a day with Alex (Monica Belucci), her current Marcus (Vincent Cassel), and her still-pining ex-boyfriend Pierre (Albert Dupontel).
The story begins at the end: We see a wounded Marcus being carried out of the gay nightclub Le Rectum on a stretcher, closely followed by Pierre in handcuffs. We eventually discover that Marcus and Pierre have spent most of the night desperately hunting a man known as Le Tenia (“the Tapeworm”) to enact revenge for Alex’s brutal rape and beating earlier in the evening.
The movie’s tagline, “time destroys all things,” becomes devastatingly more apparent as time goes on. The reverse chronological order is effective at disorienting the viewer, and we are not fully aware of how much was lost over the course of this ill-fated evening until the first few hours of the day are revealed at the end of the movie.
French Extremity At Its Most Potent
I had the opportunity to see the “Straight Cut” version during the seventh annual Brooklyn Horror Film Festival. The film was shown as one of the festival’s Closing Night films to celebrate its 20th anniversary. BHFF’s theme for 2022 was French Extremity, a subgenre of transgressive French films that push the envelope on brutality and is not afraid to spotlight human depravity.
Man is the real monster in French Extremity films, and Irreversible is no exception. This movie is infamous for its nine-minute assault scene and the violent revenge enacted at Le Rectum.
Seeing Irreversible in its proper chronological order was an experience. Closing Night took place at Nitehawk Cinema, a popular dine-in theater in Brooklyn. The audience was warned that no alcohol would be served in the few minutes leading up to that infamous nine-minute assault scene, so I ordered two glasses of wine ahead of time.
It wasn’t enough. Although I have seen the original film, nothing can prepare you for that scene. I chugged both of my wines and spent most of that time watching people leave the theater, stealing quick glances at the screen. Nine minutes feels like an eternity.
Straight Cut or Original?
Many people will ask which version of Irreversible is better. As someone who enjoys fucked up films, this one is pretty fucked up regardless of the sequence of events. I’m still filled with dread as soon as I hear that pounding theme. In my opinion, both versions have their merits, although being presented with this story in its proper chronological order doesn’t make it any less devastating.
My recommendation for Irreversible comes with several trigger warnings for sexual assault, transphobia, and homophobia. Irreversible is not a movie I would recommend to a casual horror fan, but both versions are an experience that should not be missed.
Irreversible: Straight Cut releases theatrically February 10th. You can purchase tickets here!