CRIMES OF THE FUTURE (2022)
Updated: Dec 10, 2022
David Cronenberg's Return to Body Horror is Surprisingly Restrained
Grade: C+
David Cronenberg is known for directing disturbing movies like Scanners (1981), Vidodrome (1983), and The Fly (1986), which explore the human body's relationship with science and technology. Crimes of the Future, Cronenberg's first body horror flick since 1999's Existenz, does revisit this relationship and features some thought-provoking ideas. But the disturbing elements that defined the his early career are mostly touched upon instead of fully exploited, and the conclusion might surprise audiences expecting a more conventional Cronenberg ending.
As the title implies, the film takes place in the future. It grabs the attention early on with the death of a young boy at the hands of his mother. Immediately we are curious as to why she did this evil deed, as well as the reason why he was eating a plastic trash can. We are then introduced to Saul Tenser (Viggo Mortensen) lying on an organic-looking bed with strange umbilicus-like cords attached to his hands and feet. It turns out Tenser's body is constantly creating new organs that he and his partner, Caprice (Lea Seydoux), have removed in live artistic performances. The authorities of this future decree that anyone growing new organs in this way must have them removed, for fear that leaving them unchecked will send humanity down dangerous paths. But some, like Lang Dotrice (Scott Speedman), the murdered boy's father, believe that organ growth is a good thing, and they want Saul to help prove it.
Natural progression is the movie's central theme. Should evolution be suppressed, the movie asks, or should it be allowed to take its course? The centerpiece of this question comes with the body of the murdered boy who, his father claims, has developed organs that enable him to digest plastic. According to Lang, these organs mean that humanity is ready to consume other materials for survival, but most people are not yet ready to accept this proposed truth. Viewers are invited to mark parallels between this issue and the real-life ongoing struggle between the ideals of liberals and conservatives.
The world in Crimes of the Future an undeniably interesting one, where apparently pain has become a thing of the past. Saul and others undergoing surgery don't even flinch when scalpels cut into them to remove unwanted organs or make alterations to their skin. Timlin (Kristen Stewart), a member of the National Organ Registry, takes a particular interest in Saul, telling him she thinks "Surgery is the new sex."
The story provides Cronenberg an all-new way to explore the ideas he has become famous for, though it is far more subdued than some of his more famous movies. There are certainly some disturbing moments on-screen, such as a shocking murder or two, as well as a man who gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "I'm all ears." But Cronenberg never really goes all-in. The scenes with live surgery are not altogether gross, at least for those who have seen an autopsy on a crime show. This is not a bad thing for Cronenberg, since it allows him to be more intelligent and ponderous of the future than if he was making one of his old classics, and it does enable him to show that a genre as clear cut as body horror can show some variety.
What is a problem, however, is the execution of the story. The movie sets up several subplots, including Lang's conspiracy, a love triangle between Saul, Caprice and Timlin, and Saul's entrance in an "Inner Beauty" pageant. But apparently all these threads had been building up to a shot where Saul smiles and sheds a tear of joy, having apparently made a decision on where he stands regarding organ growth...and then the movie ends. It does provide some closure to his character, but it leaves other subplots in the dust or just terminates them. The director of the Inner Beauty Pageant, for example, is assassinated before the event even takes place. I was never under the impression that the movie would end as it did until it cut to black; it was somewhat jarring.
It is not an exaggeration to say that David Cronenberg's movies are not for everyone. Only people who have strong stomachs can truly appreciate his blend of horror and science fiction. He has the power to take audiences to horrifying places and make them think about the implications of his stories. Crimes of the Future is indeed thought-provoking and smarter than most of his earlier work. But the abrupt finale leaves much of the story unresolved and risks alienating audiences who want a more satisfying ending.
Director: David Cronenberg
Screenplay: David Cronenberg
Producer: Robert Lantos
Cast: Viggo Mortensen (Saul Tenser), Lea Seydoux (Caprice), Kristen Stewart (Timlin), Don McKellar (Wippet), Scott Speedman (Lang Dotrice), Welket Bungue (Det. Cope), Lihi Kornowski (Djuna Dotrice), Tanaya Beatty (Berst), Yorgos Karamihos (Brent Boss)
Rated: R (strong disturbing violent content and grisly images, graphic nudity and some language)
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