★★★ out of ★★★★★
Directed by Brandon Cronenberg
The Fosters, author James (Alexander Skarsgård) and his wife Em (Cleopatra Coleman) are on vacation at a luxury resort looking for sun, sand and inspiration for James’ next book. There they meet returning resorts guests Gigi (Mia Goth) and Alban Bauer (Jalil Lespert) and after hitting it off (mainly due to the fact that the young and beautiful Gigi says she’s a fan of Foster’s book) decide to spend the day off property for a oceanfront picnic. Driving back to the resort, James runs over a local man crossing the road and kills him. The group plans to pull an “I know what you did last summer” and not go to the police because on the island there is a zero tolerance for crime, but the next morning the police come knocking on his door and drag James into the station.
The rumors were true about a zero tolerance for crime because the detective tells him that per island law, because he has committed murder, he is to be executed by the victim’s oldest son BUT, for a fee, James can have himself cloned and the clone can be killed instead. So James hits the ATM, the clone gets stabbed and there are now virtually no stakes for anyone with money to obey any law. Once James realizes that he’s now part of the resort’s returning guests club, orgies and light breaking and entering ensue.
Based on the praise this film garnered after its Sundance Film Festival premiere, I find myself in the minority here because this film just didn’t do it for me. It was… fine (hence 3 stars), and looked sexy and slick, but it was not disturbing or horrific as the hype machine promised (why do I still believe it!) and was much more of a thriller than a horror film.
It is White Lotus meets Hostel, only 90% less brutal, with some light touches of Cronenbergian body horror- the birthright of its director. I do however think that Mia Goth’s performance was fantastic and watching her berate Alexander Skarsgård from the hood of a car is worth the price of admission.
Infinity Pool is now playing in theaters. Take the plunge and decide for yourself.