Climax (2018)

The horror movie often proves to be a hold-out of real cinema in the ascending era of mindless franchise, and this Gaspar Noé film is no exception. A dance troop staying in an abandoned high-school unknowingly drinks sangria spiked with acid and things go from bad to worse. Psychedelic evangelists tend to be all sweetness and light, depicting a boundless universe of healing and oneness. Though this sweetness can be experienced (I have) these same evangelists neglect to mention the more face-melting outcomes of psychedelic use: the bad trip. Not to mention that Charles Manson and the Aom Shinrikyo cult, for instance, does not happen without acid. Just as one can use acid to develop an emotional connection with plants (me) so too can acid be used to brainwash you into murdering celebrities. These substances are powerful and dangerous, particularly where religion is involved. Climax does not flinch from these mental vicissitudes: this is acid in its psychotomimetic form. That being said, “surprise acid” is the worst kind of acid and so no wonder that things go psycho. Is the movie anti-acid? I am not sure. The actors are also professional dancers, in real life, and watching them frantically dance, throughout the movie is its best quality; tripping as a danse macabre.