In Bertrand Bonello’s complex and mind-bending new film, actress Léa Seydoux gives an explosive performance that interweaves through various time sequences including a vividly recreated Paris in 1910. Choosing where to begin the narractive became a point of contention among reviewers at its premiere in the Venice Film Festival as it jumps between time periods, following Seydoux’s character as she faces a looming, unknown threat, similar to the experience felt while navigating the virtual and historical worlds of popular video games such as Assassin’s Creed.
Bonello, known for his unique art films like House of Tolerance and Saint Laurent, bases this new film on Henry James’s 1903 novella The Beast in the Jungle. It tells the story of a man who is driven by an unspecified but ever-present fear, a theme that beckons all humans to understand and resonate with it. Seydoux’s character, Gabrielle, definitely comprehends this.
The character faces threats ranging from well-known historical events such as the Great Flood of Paris in 1910, to horrifyingly modern dangers. However, it’s not all about the things that do occur; it also focuses on the unfounded fears we all wrestle with – the imagined ghost under the bed, the doubtful sounds mistaken for a burglar at the gate or the beast representing our universal apprehensions.
The attempt here is to bring forth Alain Resnais’s 1968 time-twisting science fiction Je t’aime, Je t’aime to the audiences’ mind and provide a taste of David Mitchell’s novel Cloud Atlas, with Seydoux’s portrayal transcending different epochs demonstrating similar dynamics.
George MacKay, star of The Beast, reports that he and the film’s leading lady, Léa Seydoux, experienced immense pleasure while creating this movie themed around existential fear. This is because Léa, he says, enjoys a good giggle. The narrative spans various timelines, including the year 2044, when the character Gabrielle undergoes a biological purification process enabling her to revisit incarnations of her life. Among these is her early 20th-century experience where she manages a doll factory while falling in love with a young man named Louis (George MacKay), a character that shows impressive language skills.
The narrative continues as Gabrielle encounters various versions of Louis during her multiple life events. In 2044, she bumps into a different Louis at a club playing 80’s music, specifically Visage’s Fade to Grey. Fast forward to 2014, Gabrielle, now an actress, meets Louis in his darkest form – a potentially violent incel who speaks obsessively of YouTube.
Despite the complexity of the narrative, the film manages to organize numerous ideas, even though some struggle with maintaining an orderly flow. Some parts of the movie, notably the 1910 episode, provide satisfaction as they come together, opposed to some less developed sections like the incel subplot.
A consistent visual aesthetic, directed masterfully, and Léa Seydoux’s captivating performance glue the film together. Léa’s unique ability to utilise her shyness in her acting adds more impact to the film’s highly emotional final scenes. Although the film may not be perfect, those who are wracked with worries will indeed find aspects they can relate to.