Content warning: this post includes topics like sex, pregnancy and body horror. Reader discretion is advised.
I'll try not to spoil too much, but it's hard when talking about such film, so sorry if there are minor spoilers.
Anyway.
"Titane" was a total mystery to me. Trailer doesn't reveal much, so do the official summaries. Because of that I avoided any reviews, so I wouldn't accidentally spoil myself any important plot details. As a result I walked into the cinema knowing almost nothing... And, despite getting rather surprised, totally didn't regret it.
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| I wanted to say it's the best way to watch this movie, but it can be pretty triggering, so checking it first is a better idea. |
The protagonist, Alexia, is introduced as a child. After she and her father get into a car crash, her skull gets fractured and the doctors need to implant a titanium plate into it. Years later adult Alexia (Agathe Rouselle) works as a stripper at a car show. One night she gets stalked by a creep claiming to be her fan and, after not being able to make him leave, kills him.
Let's stop here for a moment.
To be honest, at first I thought Alexia killed this guy in self defence. She stabbed him with a metal hair stick – thing she had on her hand. Her putting said stick back into her hair and showering only after she noticed the victim vomited all over her looked like she was in shock. Well, as movie quickly showed, it was not the case. Shortly after we see Alexia murder several other people. With the same stick. It establishes her as a serial killer, who is only mentioned earlier, and is one of two things that kick starts the proper plot. The other one?
On the same night she killed that creep, Alexia also got impregnated by her own car.
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| Have I mentioned it's only the beginning? |
Running from the police, Alexia decides to change her appearance (which involves not only cutting her hair short and shaving her eyebrows, but also breaking her nose) and impersonate Adrien Legrand – long lost son of Vincent Legrand (Vincent Lindon), an old firefighter. As it turns out, it's harder than expected: while Vincent doesn't doubt for a moment that she's his son, she still has to dodge suspicions of his co-workers, his wife... And also somehow hide her rapidly progressing pregnancy.
You know, for a movie about sex with a car there's very little sex and cars. It all gets squeezed into two scenes during first act: the audiovisually pleasing and incredibly erotic show and quite weird car sex scene (if you are now wondering how is it even possible... Well, I don't know. Despite the film being pretty graphic in general, not everything is shown). Rest of the story focuses on Alexia's attempts to hide her true identity and growing bond between her and Vincent. Her character development is done quite smoothly. You can spot the first major change when she, despite having perfect opportunity to do so, can't bring herself to kill him. Later she gradually trusts him, which culminates in the ending when she asks him for help during her most vulnerable moment.
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| But don't expect a heartwarming family story, it's still a thriller. |
"Titane" is categorized as body horror and actually lives up to it. What hit me while watching was how realistic this movie is. When Alexia kills we are usually shown everything: blood, vomiting, aftermath of smashing guy's skull with a stool. And when she binds her breast with elastic bandage, she ends with red marks and, later, lesions on her skin – an issue often overlooked when portraying a chest-binding (and also an actual reason why using elastic bandages for binding is a very bad idea. Don't do it, sweethearts, get a proper binder instead). Of course, one may argue that there are movies with much more gore... But it isn't the point here. The movie isn't intended to gross us out, at least not by this. The part that actually shocks the most is the pregnancy... But not only because of its supernatural origin.
You see, despite what media often try to tell us, pregnancy is scary. Even when going right it horribly messes with the body. The movie shows that – Alexia vomits, gets large stretch marks on both her abdomen and chest, later she starts spontaneously lactating. Of course, the squickiness is upped by supernatural elements: she doesn't lactate milk, but oil, and said stretch marks end tearing her skin, revealing metal placenta underneath. However, the basis is the same as in real life.
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| That's why asking someone why they don't have children is the shittiest thing in the world. Maybe they just don't want to get pregnant?! |
I like how "Titane" plays with viewer's expectations by unexpectedly changing mood during the most dramatic scenes. First we have the moment when Alexia murders her co-worker, Justine (Garance Marillier) and her housemates. The intensity of events is suddenly "ruined" by upbeat song playing in the background. Then it gets serious again... Only for new people constantly enter the scene, which makes Alexia blurt "How fucking many of you is here?!". Her annoyance clashes with gruesomeness of murders, making the scene hilarious.
Another example happens near the ending, when Alexia takes part in a disco with firefighters. Mix of loud music, flashing colours and moving bodies is hypnotizing and a little unsettling. At one point two guys catch Alexia and make her climb up the fire truck. Whole crowd starts urging her to jump, everything looks like she will do it... But she doesn't. Instead she starts dancing a strip routine, which confuses the hell out of everyone. The awkwardness and general WTFness of this moment first throw the audience off the balance and then becomes quite funny.
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| The fact Alexia doesn't give a flying fuck about whole situation definitely helps. |
I have to admit, I enjoyed "Titane" a lot. It surprised me: I expected a gory, artsy mindfuck and got a disturbing, but still rather comprehensible story. However, I don't know, if I can recommend it to anyone. On one hand it's nicely paced, well done technically and brilliantly alternates between drama and comedy, between straight body horror and psychologically distressing motives. The actors did great. The score matches the events. It's just a solid piece of filmmaking. But on the other hand there's still, well, gore and disturbing content and the fact I enjoyed it so much probably steams from the fact how desensitised I am when it comes to fucked up shit in art. I mean, people were fainting when viewing it in Cannes and I don't blame them, some scenes were nasty (like the one with attempted DIY abortion, everything was off-screen, but the acting really sold it). Damn, in the cinema I was sitting next to a guy who looked quite uncomfortable during screening (but still watched whole thing, so points for him for persistence... Or stubbornness, one of two). So yeah, despite my fondness I really can't recommend it with clear conscience.
Or let's word it this way: if this review made you interested in watching "Titane", then I'm taking no responsibility for it. Proceed on your own risk.
Good luck.
Image sources:
All stills were screenshot from the official trailer and belong to Diaphana Distribution and Altitude Film Distribution.
The trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epoyDw8EU9I