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Irreversible (2002)

tomatometer

56

Average Rating: 5.7/10
Reviews Counted: 119
Fresh: 67 | Rotten: 52

Though well-filmed, Irreversible feels gratuitous in its extreme violence.

45

Average Rating: 5.2/10
Critic Reviews: 31
Fresh: 14 | Rotten: 17

Though well-filmed, Irreversible feels gratuitous in its extreme violence.

audience

80

liked it
Average Rating: 3.8/5
User Ratings: 41,238

My Rating

Movie Info

Gaspar Noé's Irreversible utilizes the same storytelling technique used by Christopher Nolan in Memento and Harold Pinter in Betrayal. Consisting of about a dozen scenes, all shot in single takes, Irreversible charts a disturbing night in the life of Marcus (Vincent Cassel), but presents the events in reverse chronological order. The audience eventually learns how the beautiful Alex (Cassel's real-life partner Monica Bellucci) is involved. The film opens with a violent altercation at a gay sex

Unrated, 1 hr. 39 min.

Art House & International, Drama

Gaspar Noe

Aug 5, 2003

$0.6M

Mars Films

Cast

All Critics (131) | Top Critics (33) | Fresh (67) | Rotten (53) | DVD (16)

Extremely difficult to endure, and if you choose to endure it, it could leave you feeling angry and upset. Nevertheless, this is serious filmmaking, and Noe is a gifted filmmaker.

May 9, 2003 Full Review Source: Detroit Free Press | Comment (1)
Detroit Free Press
Top Critic IconTop Critic

A fascinating study in excess, a movie that seduces and repulses as it explores the merciless nature of fate.

April 24, 2003 Comment
Arizona Republic
Top Critic IconTop Critic

There is nothing moral about Irreversible -- only sneeringly superior and nihilistic, like Johnny Rotten at his most fatuous.

April 22, 2003 Full Review Source: Slate | Comment
Slate
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Fails because of its gratuitous rape and violence and also because of its pretentious and intellectually one-dimensional grounds, which make the violence at the end feel even worse.

April 11, 2003 Comment (1)
Washington Post
Top Critic IconTop Critic

A genuine outlaw work of art.

April 11, 2003 Full Review Source: Washington Post | Comment
Washington Post
Top Critic IconTop Critic

A sometimes repellent yet deeply moving film.

March 27, 2003 Full Review Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution | Comment
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Noé weaves together the off-putting elements into something that sears itself permanently in the memory.

January 5, 2010 Full Review Source: TheMovieReport.com | Comment
TheMovieReport.com

Contains crippling, extended acts of sexual violence and general inhumanity, yet, under the bleeding rawness of it all, was a film of brilliant technical achievement and unrivaled, unrelenting ferocity.

December 28, 2009 Full Review Source: Modamag.com | Comment
Modamag.com

The lurid gimmick of a barking sideshow host.

November 20, 2008 Full Review Source: Suite101.com | Comment
Suite101.com

Noe is a confrontational master, no question.

September 24, 2007 Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | Comment
eFilmCritic.com

Me? I'm going to go watch "The Brady Bunch" to wash these images out of mind. And, I'm going to withstand the fury of those who decide I'm a squeamish wimp.

November 21, 2006 Full Review Source: Cinema Signals | Comment (1)
Cinema Signals

... film does make one point beautifully: no matter which way a story is told, a bad script cannot be salvaged.

October 11, 2004 Full Review Source: JWR | Comments (2)

You'll leave the theater wishing the two hours you spent were not so irreversible.

August 13, 2004 Full Review Source: Oregon Herald | Comment

While Noé's vision can seem unrelentingly sadistic and sexist, the film's raw emotion keeps it afloat.

March 8, 2004 Full Review | Comment
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More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Irreversible

Not a date movie! Its a hardcore french film about revenge and RAPE! Gasper Noe does not pull any punches when making this film about an evening gone wrong.

October 25, 2011
paul o.
paul oh

Super Reviewer

Human behaviour portrayed in it's most unpleassent form. Unlike real pointless shock-fests like Baise Moi here is a movie tackling very disturbing material in a far more focused and mature way. The main cast do a magnificent job, Miss Bellucci proofs she has not only the looks but also the skills of a good actress.

March 10, 2007
DragonEyeMorrison
Tsubaki Sanjuro

Super Reviewer

    1. Pierre: You're behaving like an animal. Even animals don't seek revenge.
    – Submitted by Chris P (9 months ago)
    1. Philippe: Time destroys everything.
    – Submitted by Chris P (9 months ago)

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Foreign Titles

  • Irreversibel (DE)
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