MovieChat Forums > Irréversible (2002) Discussion > One of the most disturbing things for me...

One of the most disturbing things for me was (Spoilers)


Obviously the fire extinguisher scene, the realization that he killed the wrong man but probably not an innocent man, the rape scene was horrific but the thing that really got to me was when you see another man enter the tunnel, sees the rape occurring and simply turns around and leaves.

That was a devastating critique on society as a whole and that scared me on a very real level, sorry to get political here but everyone has been so, for the lack of a better word, neutered and conditioned by the government to believe that only elected officials ie cops, can enforce the law that most people are completely apathetic or ambivalent about anything, their train of thought, it's not my problem, that's what the cops are for, I'll just keep my head down and I'll be right.

In other words, if the cops aren't around, no one is going to do anything and I feel like this kind of apathy is what allows a lot of criminals to thrive in the first place, society as a whole, has lost their collective backbone, most people have the attitude of just keep your head down and no one will bother you but that's the problem in the first place.

People have too much faith in the government to protect them and not enough courage to protect themselves and others.

I don't suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it.

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Couldn't agree more. The only criticism I can give this film is that it's disturbing scenes possibly distract a lot of viewers from the more important message. There are a lot of very real observations about modern urban society, it's worrying to think that someone could witness that and turn a blind eye to it, but not totally implausible.

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Very well put to the two posters above me. The movie did have quite shocking bits but the underlying message is what makes it an amazing movie.




"Gentlemen, you had my curiosity. But now you have my attention."(Calvin Candie)
-Django Unchained

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@ Sania696

it has to be one of
if not THE most realistic movie ever made

it is like,,
platoon
midnight express
hurt locker
schindlers list
hunger
goodfellas
sophies choice

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Well, the message of that scene seemed clear when I saw it, but it could have been better directed/choreographed. I read that Noé gave his actors pretty much a free hand in the way they did the scene, but he should have made sure that Alex was properly screaming when the passer-by entered the tunnel. That way the comment on society would have been unambiguous. As it was, the rapist's hand was over her mouth at that moment so she wasn't making noise, nor was she able to struggle much, so the guy may have thought the rapist was having a quickie with a prostitute and didn't want to get too close for that reason.

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I agree with the OP...I was more disturbed by the fire extinguisher scene. CGI or not, I was in shock. The rape scene did not disturb me as much per se. While I was not as disturbed by it, it is the WORST rape scene I have EVER viewed. I have watched What's Love Got to Do With It, Boys Don't Cry, Heaven & Earth, American History X, etc. and Irreversible is the MOST horrendous, probably because of the scene length.

T.
<<Death is whimsical today.>>

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Have to disagree with you here. These very long scenes are constructed delicately and down to every detail as far as mise-en-scene goes and the timing of every subtle or major action. The coward entering the tunnel 100 % knows what is happening!! Yes, her mouth is covered but the rapist is saying "I'm going to *beep* your ass" (and he is not being quiet here). Believe me, what the person in the back of the underpass is doing is an outrageously cowardly act because the good he knows he ought to do, he neglects to do and this terrible incident occurs. Noe is a genius and purposely times the scene to perfection by bringing in the third person into the scene before the actual act of rape takes place, therefore proving all the more that all of what we are about to see could have been avoided. This film is terrific. Extremely dark but terrific nonetheless.

"Doublethink. To deliberately believe in lies, while knowing they're false." Henry Barthes

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This is why stand your ground laws are important.

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All of these interpretations are great, but Gaspar Noé has said that the person turning up in the background was actually an assistant coming from the other side who didn't know they were shooting. He kept it in because he liked it, but it certainly wasn't planned or intended as a critique on anything, it was a happy accident.

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