Certification. 18
Running Time. 1 hour 37 mins
Director. Yorgos Lanthimos
Cast. Anna Kalaitzidou, Angeliki Papoulia, Christos Passalis, Christos Stergioglou, Mary Tsoni, Michele Valley.
Rating. 68%
I fear no one single review could ever possibly attempt to examine every layer of Yorgos Lanthimos' Dogtooth. An early offering from a director who subsequently delivered The Lobster, The Killing Of A Sacred Deer and The Favourite, Dogtooth is every bit as dark, disturbing and troubling as his later projects.
A husband (Christos Stergioglou) and his wife (Michele Valley) would appear to have decided to raise their three, now teenage, children (Hristos Passalis, Aggeliki Papoulia and Mary Tsoni) in a perpetual state of childhood and without any contact with the outside world. The parents’ dogma creates an innocent eutopia in the confines of an isolated country property with lush gardens and an outdoor swimming pool, surrounded by an unscalable, high wooden fence. The only outsider permitted to enter the complex is a female security guard, Christina (Anna Kalaitzidou). She is blindfolded until her arrival, where she is paid to provide a vessel for the awakening libido of the son (Hristos Passalis).
While the details of how this situation evolved are never fully explained, the situation seems to stem from an earlier incident. There is an indication that the events may have been set in motion by the death of a younger brother.
In a world devoid of social norms, heightened sibling rivalry, (often highly inappropriate) sexual awakening and increased questioning of fundamentals, builds to the older daughter’s (Angeliki Papoulia) terrible unravelling, when real life rushes in like flood water breaching a dam.
Dogtooth is a bleak and disturbing examination of the folly of sheltering children, taking the idea to ridiculous extremes and laying bare the dangers of not only overly strict parenting but an oppressive society as well. Lanthimos mercilessly satirises attempts to control thought and manipulate lives, using the family as a microcosm for society as a whole. The director has crafted a thoroughly provocative and challenging social satire on the inspirations that make us who we are. All families live by their own set of rules, and Dogtooth takes the idea to its perverse and shocking conclusion. Lanthimos films proceedings in a quiet, observational style, with calm colours, subtle camera movements and gentle edits, lending an air of normality to a world that couldn’t be less so.
Dogtooth is no easy film to digest. Nor should it be. It is every bit as challenging as the themes it tackles. Resolute and unflinching, Lanthimos refuses to let the characters (or indeed the audience) off the hook. It isn’t always easy to watch. The casual violence and excessive sex and nudity within the context of a script that gleefully deviates from normality will not appeal to everyone. As harrowing as it is humorous, Dogtooth is a quiet, merciless film, full of horror that bites deeper than any wanton display of gore.
Comments
Post a Comment