If you can get past the horrible violence, which starts right at he beginning of the film, long before the rape sequence, there is a story here that wants to make you think.
Irreversible (2003)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:119
Fresh:66
Rotten:53
Average Rating:5.6/10
Consensus: Though well-filmed, Irreversible feels gratuitous in its extreme violence.
Theatrical Release:Mar 7, 2003 Limited
Box Office: $573,018
Synopsis: Irreversible is a demanding and audacious but thoroughly rewarding cinematic experience that has been thrilling audiences since its world premiere in Cannes and its North American debut screenings... Irreversible is a demanding and audacious but thoroughly rewarding cinematic experience that has been thrilling audiences since its world premiere in Cannes and its North American debut screenings at the Telluride and Toronto film festivals earlier this year. The film will be released by Lions Gate Films on March 7, 2003. Even for a director that has been known to invite controversy in films such as Sodomites (1998), Seul contre tous (I Stand Alone) (1998), and Carne (1991), Noé’s Irreversible can still be considered the ultimate in bravura filmmaking. An emotional odyssey that unspools in reverse from gut-wrenching violence to sweetly observed moments of sublime tenderness, the film stars Monica Bellucci and real-life husband Vincent Cassel as a couple whose story is told over the course of a fateful evening in a series of long takes. The film features two unsettling and graphic scenes of violence and sexuality that are difficult to watch. However, these grim sights are nestled within a carefully constructed -- although unconventional -- narrative which serves as a counterpoint to moments of striking tenderness, and the film is in some ways a study of darkness and light. -- © Lions Gate Films [More]
Starring: Monica Bellucci, Vincent Cassel, Albert Dupontel, Philippe Nahon
Starring: Monica Bellucci, Vincent Cassel, Albert Dupontel, Philippe Nahon, Jo Prestia
Director: Gaspar Noe
Director: Gaspar Noe
Screenwriter: Gaspar Noe
Producer: Christophe Rossignon
Composer: Thomas Bangaltar
Studio: Lions Gate Films
Get This Movie
Reviews for Irreversible
The scenes play out in long, uninterrupted takes -- a feat of impressive technical and astonishing acting prowess.
The most shocking thing about the movie -- especially to admirers of Gaspar Noé's equally ugly debut, Seul Contre Tous -- is how insipid it is.
The unbroken shots give this nightmare a lucid, inevitable, and inescapable feel that goes a long way toward selling the horror that's presented.
Noé’s initially disconcerting stylistic choices and the extreme violence are justified when you look at the bigger picture.
While Noe undoubtedly revels in his audience's revulsion, the fact is Irreversible is a painfully thin, uninvolving story.
This movie is over-the-top and infuriating at times, but in the end, I consider it a success on some very ****ed up level.
While Noe's premise that 'time destroys everything' seems to be a weak rationalization for the picture's audacious raison d'etre, its ability to incite strong personal reactions is undeniable.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 77% 77% | The Hangover |
| 88% 88% | Inglourious Basterds |
| 66% 66% | Public Enemies |
| 24% 24% | G-Force |
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 82% 82% | Paranormal Activity |
| 57% 57% | 9 |
| 44% 44% | Jennifer's Body |
| 58% 58% | A Perfect Getaway |
RT On Current TV
DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
CloseSponsored Links
Around The Network
- Irreversible at Rotten Tomatoes
- Irreversible at IGN
- Irreversible at AskMen
Fresh Links
Featured

Moviefone lists their top ten nude scenes from film in 2009.

Thomas Leupp offers us Hollywood.com's take on the best films of the year.

Last week, MSN gave us their top 09 films. Now see what their favorites of the decade are!

TIME chimes in with their own list of the best films released this year.

Click through to see which movies BuzzSugar placed in their Best-of-Decade list!
Promos

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!



Top Critic



