'Titane' A Review

Titane is a body horror film about dancer/serial killer Alexia(Agathe Rousselle) who connects with a mourning father/fireman Vincent(Vincent Lindon). The film opens on a car ride with Alexia as a child antagonizing her father(Bertrand Bonello) prior to an accident which resulted in a plate being installed in her head. Whether Alexia's issues are nature, nurture, and/or psychological is a theme throughout along with body dysmorphia and gender.

Rousselle gives a fearless performance with some extremely challenging physical scenes(to perform as well as watch) along with a character exceedingly thin on the page, yet she soars. Lindon has the only other character with any real screentime or substance and he does a wonderful job marrying the incredibly bizarre "story" with some actual human emotion and reality. The supporting cast only have brief appearances and function almost solely as plot mechanics or set dressing, one of which even says his name is "Conscience" making his function blatantly and oddly literal given the more metaphorical/allegorical bent the film takes everywhere else.

Inspired production design makes for a very engrossing if periodically exceptionally off putting experience. The body horror scenes are very long and detailed frequently stretching beyond the uncomfortable to the grotesque, these protracted scenes seem to function mostly on the basis of themselves alone ie they are gross and shocking in order to be gross and shocking without much clarity or purpose beyond the sheer novelty of simply depicting them at length. And while there are some truly transcendent moments, sequences, and ideas contained within, the total is somewhat less than the sum of its parts. It is more concerned with a kind of ascendant baroque disgust with a generous helping of shame laid out in a series of beautiful and disturbing impressionistic moments than anything resembling a coherent narrative with actual characters. 

Ambitious, bold, and bludgeoning it is not for everyone and maybe only for a select few because it is incredibly challenging with what it depicts and it leaves it up to the viewer to decide what its all for, if anything. Which, yes, can be very frustrating. Is it well made? Yes, very. Is it well acted? Yes, very. Is it about something? It seems to be but what, I can't exactly articulate. Is it worth it? That's the real question. I think yes. It is unapologetically Art with a capital A, Cinema with a capital C. Is it pleasant? No, not at all. Is it important, especially, given the glut of superheroes, comfort TV, and the corporate monopolization and homogenization of media? Again, I think yes.

Currently in theaters, coming soon to VOD. Trigger Warning: contains graphic depictions of violence, sexuality, and self harm.

Rent It.