by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
What could David Cronenberg possibly have up his sleeve after all these years? This man has had an illustrious career, reinventing himself in different eras. His peak was in the ‘80s, where wild genre elements and disturbing body horror ran amuck in his visceral and unforgettable films. The 2000s found a new era of Cronenberg’s career, which was defined by more grounded thrillers that focused more on human nature and less on the abstract and disturbing visuals of his earlier work. But starting with Crimes of the Future, Cronenberg has entered his “I will do whatever I want” era, returning to making films that shake cinematic expectations to the core.
Cronenberg’s latest movie, The Shrouds, combines his more grounded films which focus on the human condition with those which don’t shy away from the weird and twisted. One of the most challenging elements of The Shrouds is the glacial pace that it takes. This is odd, because more of Cronenberg’s films are brisk and engrossing. But The Shrouds is a haunting and contemplative exploration of aging. The unnerving atmosphere in Cronenberg’s cinematic voice does shine through. There is a heightened paranoia in the film, where humanity finds the wild and unbelievable to fill the gaps created from insecurity and fear of confronting the true challenges in their life. The body horror in The Shrouds is not derived from the abstract and grotesque, but the raw and natural aging and decay of mortality. Sleek and stark, the visual experience that Cronenberg offers is his own, with a haunting score from longtime collaborator Howard Shore to match.
But there is plenty underneath the surface in The Shrouds. This is Cronenberg after all. There is a harrowing authenticity to the grief in the film, as Cronenberg processes real loss through its narrative. The film is all about a man processing the loss of his wife. But things are not that simple — their marriage was not perfect and there was some betrayal involved. Cronenberg asks the question, “How do you mourn someone you have yet to forgive?” There is adultery that looms over Karsh (our protagonist, played by Vincent Cassel) as he processes complex feelings for his wife. An inventor of revolutionary burial practices, Karsh is challenged with resting for eternity with a woman he could not truly trust. But the film finds its most interesting (and jarring) elements in the exploration of how Karsh processes his complex feelings towards his deceased wife: in the world of conspiracy theories. The lustful hounding for pleasures of the flesh. Desperately seeking human connection for any woman who will find the time and connection with him. This introspective and haunting film has plenty to say about grief, love, pleasure, and aging.
Karsh is brought to life by Cassel who is alluring, intense, and complex. This is not an easy central performance to nail down, but that is the type of film you are getting into, Cassel finds the perfect wavelength for that.
Diane Kruger has been missing from the big screen as of late, but she makes up for it in The Shrouds, as she navigates a variety of layered, complex, and mysterious characters. Her chemistry with Cassel has quite the spark, and she consistently keeps the audience on their toes.
As supporting players, Guy Pearce is a manic and paranoid presence that fits perfectly in the conspiracies that swirl throughout the film, and Sandrine Holt just might be the most interesting addition as a seductive and alluring force who brings out plenty of desire and pleasure from Karsh (and even makes quite the impact on him in the end).
The Shrouds is the work of an aging artist who is exploring a different outlook on the world. The fire and brutality of many of Cronenberg’s films are gone, replaced by a more reflective and contemplative approach. But that does not take away from those Cronenbergian body horror elements. This film is outwardly challenging, but Cronenberg shows time and time again that challenging his audience is one of the most important elements of his filmmaking.
Rating: Liked It
The Shrouds is currently playing in theaters
You can read more from Shane Conto, and follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd