Movie review: Antichrist by Lars von Trier

Where do I start?

Over the past couple of months, I've heard a good deal about Antichrist. It's widely known as highly controversial, and has critics split down the middle on how they feel. There is no indifference to be felt about this movie--you either love it or hate it. I fall into the "hate" category. The movie comes off as highly misogynistic, and completely scattered. The cinematography and direction is well executed, but the general plot line is confused, with the movie ending very openly. Nothing is really explained, and while I'm not one to enjoy movies that hold your hand and spell things out, this movie could have been better had it given some sort of real clue as to what was going on at the end.

The movie is highly sexual, on top of being incredibly violent. The wife becomes obsessed with sex to ease her grief, and by chapter three, she begins to incorporate violence into her sexual activities.

The overall imagery used in the movie is slightly impressive, but still a bit confused in the way it's all done. The camera ripples may have been used to symbolize her panic at moments, but it's only used twice.

Ultimately, I can't say that I enjoyed this movie. I feel that it was needlessly misogynistic and graphic, and lacked any real linear plot line that was followable. The ending is muddled, and very little that happens in the movie is understandable. All in all, I'd have to say that I give this a thumbs down. The "inherent evil of all women" aside, nothing the wife does makes any sense, and the husband seems incredibly detached, right up until right before he snaps and [SPOILER]kills her to escape.[/SPOILER] I don't understand how it was classified as horror, or a psychological thriller, as it is neither of these things. If you want something scary or unsettling, don't bother with this movie. It's more confusing than anything.