Antichrist
2009
***
Director: Lars von Trier
Cast: Willem Dafoe, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Storm Acheche Sahlstrøm
Lars von Trier abandons the Dogme guidelines of Breaking the Waves and the uncinematic style of Dogville to give us his most visually rich work. If you thought those films dealt out cruelty to their leading ladies, the Danish auteur reaches a new level of brutality in this graphic horror film. Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg play a couple whose infant son dies in a tragic accident. She's riddled with guilt and grief, and he's a shrink who's determined to get her over it. They decide to withdraw to their remote cottage, not knowing that nature is Satan's church. The film mixes psychological drama and supernatural horror. It's powerful and strongly acted, but doesn't seem to add up to anything meaningful.
