MovieChat Forums > Elle (2016) Discussion > What about a serial killer plot line in ...

What about a serial killer plot line in this film?

posted 3 years ago by TheMan18 (13020)
2 replies | jump to latest

Many viewers and reviewers are so caught up in the aspect of rape and sexual violence as the main theme of the movie and also its rather controversial aspect, taking the matter undeniably personally, even going as far as to state that its director should be jailed for how they thought he handled it rather insensitively and even positive reviews wrote literally a LOT about THAT aspect of the film.

But besides it, what did they and others ALSO think about a serial killer aspect, and Michelle's father to boot, of the movie, did THAT also bother viewers and reviewers to an extent, and even if it didn't, then SHOULD it have?

And is there one overall mentally and morally satisfying truth about which matter should be MORE troubling or even EQUALLY so, regardless of what other troubled details and nuances the sexual abuse aspect comes with and with murder simply being more simple in the minds of viewers, even if both are wrong and terrible no doubt, with the overall situation being - sigh - simply an unfortunate fact of life. And no arguments are going to ever change it.

Plus, I've heard and read different interpretations of the film and its plot. Some suggested the "serial killer" aspect overall is one big metaphor and the whole film is basically a somewhat darkly satirical and slightly surreal attempt to state how difficult it is to cope with the aftermath of rape, mostly if not outright only for the victim.

Others suggest rape may not even have happened and that this was in Michelle's mind somehow and that the main focus is that on the serial killer father and his daughter.

Although with the film, both plot lines come into play overall.

But in any case, did that aspect also, perhaps, either bother or get viewers similarly emotionally involved? And no offense of course to anyone.

[–] TheMan18 (13020) a year ago

Also, to all those of you or some of you who thought that its director deserves either contempt or prison sentence (even though its far from likely it will happen, for one) because of how they thought he handled the "main most sensitive subject" (and yes we all know what "it is", and no one is denying anything) incorrectly or insensitively in some or other ways...

As much as it may irritate, irk or downright offend you for reasons personal or objective or BOTH...

Should filmmakers who say mishandle and somehow undermine the theme or scenes of murder or even other forms of violence and wrongdoings etc, also be brought to a moral let alone a legal form of action of some kind against them too? After all in real life, those are also the things that happen, are sensitive as issues at least to an extent however lesser and cause grief, pain and suffering to people and even those close to them - irrespective of how much "taboo" we sadly and effectively have anywhere in the world (and some more than others, and some DIFFERENTLY as well) on sexuality lest of all sexual violence and wrongdoings as such?

Besides, SPOILERS - its not as if the main culprit even gets away with it, SPOILER ALERT - he gets killed at the end. And that may also mean that the director ultimately DOES feel that matter is wrong and is overall against it one way or another.

And I have also read how in this movie, even with many civilized people out there virulently protesting, there are some not so normal people who show either indifference to this or worse. And our whole humanity is sadly not safe as a result, actually, will leave this one here for now. But anyways...

[–] TheMan18 (13020) a year ago

Plus...

Ever wish human beings were more civilized and simple in general? So much, that even if sexual abuse still existed, and we were RIGHTLY against it morally and legally, we wouldn't have those other unfair social aspects, that are for one of course primarily mostly worse for the victims, that we face in the world even today? And that differences and nuances on sexuality briefly put aside, civilized and normal folks will be against it like they would with other forms of violence, but it perhaps being worse for reasons they would all understand under the banner of civilized common sense.

And maybe as a result on the lesser note even movies like this won't bother them personally at least too much, even with some differences here or there etc.

(But then also, I was, paradoxically, in my life around people who also at times despised the perpetrators strongly and this attitude of theirs was something I got taken by and it sort of coloured my world view as well, but I won't say if they are entirely right or wrong here or if they are factual even with all those other and more so real factors in mind, including social statistics as such.)