Crimes Of The Future: David Cronenberg Is Back, Baby!
As the human species adapts to a synthetic environment, the body undergoes new transformations and mutations. With his partner Caprice (Léa Seydoux), Saul Tenser (Viggo Mortensen), celebrity performance artist, publicly showcases the metamorphosis of his organs in avant-garde performances. Timlin (Kristen Stewart), an investigator from the National Organ Registry, obsessively tracks their movements, which is when a mysterious group is revealed... Their mission -- to use Saul's notoriety to shed light on the next phase of human evolution.
It’s been 23 long years since David Cronenberg has worked within the sci-fi or horror genres. After his 1999 gooey mind trip eXistenZ, he turned his back on his roots in favor of more mainstream action, drama, and thriller films that leaned into his usual psychological terrain but largely lacked the punch of his earlier work. Considering all that, it’s definitely exciting to see the “Baron of Blood” make his grotesquely beautiful homecoming with Crimes Of The Future, a sci-fi body horror that blends the best of his past catalog with a bit of something new.
No one really straddles the line between arthouse and exploitation quite like Cronenberg — even though his son, Brandon, and Raw/TITANE director Julia Ducournau have both carved their own names into that fleshy space (it’s almost like David saw their efforts and said, “Hold my beer…”). Crimes Of The Future is a really excellent example of Cronenberg’s capacity for straddling the divide between art and the lurid. Once again, Cronenberg explores the boundaries and capabilities of the human body, but he’s also providing a meta-commentary on art and what it means to be an artist as well. He is literally showing you his insides, and some will naturally be sickened, but cinema sickos like us will undoubtedly be riveted by Cronenberg’s thoughtful and strange ruminations.
Is it his best film? No, it isn’t. But it’s his strongest effort since 2007’s Eastern Promises (depending on how you feel about 2012’s Cosmopolis). It takes a moment to warm up to its bizarre world and narrative, but if you can get in sync with its specific frequency, you’ll find it’s extremely captivating, surprisingly funny, and expectedly erotic and grotesque.
The film exhibits a lot of Cronenberg’s strengths with very few of his weaknesses. Chief among them is his ability to create unique, lived-in worlds and immerse a viewer completely within them. He trusts the audience and their ability to grasp what he’s laying down (which is so refreshing); there is very little exposition dumping or spoon feeding (at least not the kind you’d expect — here’s looking at you, boney-looking feeding chair). The production design (which gives off H.R. Giger vibes and echoes of Cronenberg’s past works) is also top notch and mesmerizing to behold. It is right in line with Videodrome, The Fly, and eXistenZ, and feels very much like a spiritual successor.
The film marks the fourth collaboration between Cronenberg and actor Viggo Mortensen, who once again showcases his synchronicity with Cronenberg and his vision. Crimes Of The Future is also the 16th collaboration between Cronenberg and composer Howard Shore, and Shore does a bang up job. He appropriately combines traditional string elements with electronic flourishes to create some incredibly haunting melodies that encapsulate the film’s eerie darknesses and its euphoric beauty.
Out of the performances, it’s Kristen Stewart who steals the show as the giddy, trembling fangirl. She has been good in the past, but rarely this electric or exceptional. When she’s on screen, you can’t really take your eyes off her. Léa Seydoux also provides solid support as Viggo’s lover and performance art surgeon.
Some of the story beats are a bit of a struggle, and some of the foreign actors’ English line readings are a bit tough to make out, but overall, we have very few complaints. Once the film’s dual story threads begin to intersect, Cronenberg’s twisted evolution becomes more clear, and things really ratchet into focus during the last couple of scenes. At the end of the day, Crimes Of The Future is the most inventive and unique take on the plastic crisis that’s ever been committed to cinema, and it is only a film that David Cronenberg could have made. We are certainly glad to have him back, and we are eagerly looking forward to his next demented offering.
Recommendation: If you’re a fan of David Cronenberg’s unique brand of sci-fi infused body horror, Crimes Of The Future is a must-see. For those uninitiated, it’s not the most accessible point of entry, but it will open the floodgates on a back catalogue well worth exploring.
What do you think? We want to know. Share your thoughts and feelings in the comments section below, and as always, remember to viddy well!