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The opening prologue to Lars von Trier’s Antichrist is so visually and rhythmically arresting that it lures the viewer into a state of calm that will slowly be smeared over broken glass as the film progresses. The director seems to take great pleasure leading the viewer through a wilderness of both pleasure and horrific despair. He knows he’s about to leave you unsettled — and he likes it.

Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsburg star as “He” and “She” respectively, itself a subtle indication that both rapture and evil can loom over the heads of any man or woman. The pair portray a couple rocked by the death of their only son, a death indirectly caused by their own sexual indiscretions. She immediately spirals into a dark chasm of grief and pain, chronicled by separate “Acts” in the film. In addition to being She’s doting lover and partner, He is also her therapist and attempts to save She single-handed. When He forces She to travel deep into the woods, to a cabin in a place called Eden, nature takes it course.

Antichrist is a cinematically brilliant, yet devastatingly gruesome piece of hand-crafted art. I was left holding on to one word more than any other while viewing the movie, and I mentioned it earlier: Unsettling. Antichrist is definitely a foray into the psychological horror genre, as atmospheric sound elements and visuals will keep you unnerved. The audio presentation here is on level with Kubrick’s The Shining. As the final act unfolds, true horror violence and gore will likely have you looking to leave the room. The squeamish need not pick up this movie ticket, as there are at least two extremely graphic, sexually violent scenes that are causing a good deal of controversy. Many find them unnecessary, which could be true to a degree, but the conflict on the canvas that Von Trier paints revolves around man and woman as a species, and the inherent good or evil in the creation of life. If you can’t handle the gore, you’re liable to miss these larger themes.

Lars von Trier delves deep into the human psyche with Antichrist, and no matter what you make of it, the movie will leave something behind for you permanently. The film is most definitely not for everyone, but if you are already a fan of von Trier’s work — or are prepared to have your mind scratched — Antichrist is for you.

Antichrist premieres in the U.S. in both a limited theatrical release and on Video On Demand services (including for Bright House subscribers) on October 23rd.

Lars von Trier’s Antichrist – Official Trailer from Zentropa on Vimeo.

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