Originally premiering in the Cannes Film Festival, "Antichrist", the weird psychological horror film from Lars Von Trier, would later be premiering in just about every other film festival in the world. The overall reaction was the same: half stayed and applauded the other got the hell out of there. Now after seeing this "art film" I can understand why half of them left. But I can also understand why the other half stayed. It's a mixed movie, one which takes more than one viewing to fully understand and one that just, unless you think hard enough, is just completely freaking weird.

The story follows "He"(Willem Dafoe) and "She"(Charlotte Gainsbourg). A couple who have just suffered a horrific travesty. Their son died. Yes the circumstances-he falling out of a window while they were making passionate/crazy love sex- might be a bit out there and while the whole scene featured above is immensely graphic it still manages to be believable. Somewhat. "She" has totally lost it because of grief and has therefor been put on medication in order to help her deal with the pain, cause they solve everything. "He" thinks that the meds aren't working and are therefor actually making it harder for her to reabilitate. "He" takes "She" to her apparent favorite spot, Eden, some cabin in the woods.

Once here at the cabin is where things get weird, graphic, mad, confusing, and yes weird. The entire film is split into five sections; Prologue, Chapter One: Grief, Chapter Two: Pain, Chapter: Three Despair, Chapter Four: The Three Beggars (more on that later), and Epilogue. All five are in a chronological order and each one gets stranger than the last. Apparently "She" has gone completely and utterly mad by the third chapter and by the fourth she is just f-ckin crazy. This is what I think is officially one of the best performances by an actress this entire year. Gainsbourg delivers a performance so maddening and so real it makes you wonder if whether or not shes actually going through hell. While the movie may feel like hell at times, she is able to make it seem more than just another physiological drama, and creates a woman whose taking a trip through the darkest corners of the mind, and comes back.

While the beginning intro might startle some viewers with its intense sex and graphic scene of a baby falling out of a window, you can't help but love the sense of, well, art. Not the baby dying part that's just sad and sick, but how the whole scene plays out. In a very real photographic black and white, the whole scene has no sound whatsoever but it guided along by the score, which as well deserves an Oscar. But later on throughout the film you feel as if that's all there is. Nothing but art. Sure visually Von Trier's maddening tale is visceral, real, and visually unique, but it lacks in it's form of story telling and is no real surprise that the final section is what everyone gave a "0" to. The third and fourth parts or chapters in the film are the ones which will, if you're not paying close enough attention, lose you. They feature "She" as she goes incredibly psycho on "He", who by this point is actually questioning the viewer on whether or not he actually loves her. She does things so humanly unimaginable you have to leave. You are compelled to leave, but that's what Von Trier wants. His movie is made to divide audiences, to create something which will resonate in the viewers mind. The only sad part is that it resonates a little too long.

Willem Dafoe, whose no stranger to taking on roles that are weird, actually delivers something unique and interesting. His performance as "He" is mostly dialogue related but as hes tortured by "She" he never loses that magic of taking over the screen. No matter how much more interesting "She" is. Throughout the entire the film you spend most of the time questioning the fact of his love. How deep is it? Does he truly love her? This and many other "soap opera" questions arise throughout their entire stay here in the middle of the forest. And Dafoe proves once again that he is a truly versatile actor.

Lars Von Trier has made a very weird and maddening movie experience. It's no surprise why the Cannes film festival practically banished the movie from all existence. It's themes of misogyny and exaggeration of violence and sex might not be appealing to some viewers. Its an art house film that lacks in story, but offers some unique visuals here and there. And while it might not click with audiences it still makes you want to keep on watching. Unless if you can bring yourself to leave the theater. Grade: C