---
title: "Climax"
year: 2018
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/climax"
fi1m_id: "climax"
imdb_id: "tt8359848"
tmdb_id: 507076
wikidata_id: "Q52000412"
fi1m_score: 73
critics_score: 65
critics_reviews: 23
published: "2026-09-24T03:47:31.365618+00:00"
updated: "2026-09-24T03:47:31.766929+00:00"
region: "IT"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Climax (2018)

Directed by Gaspar Noé · 1h 37m · MiC VM18 · Drama, Horror, Music

## Identity

Climax

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/climax
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** climax
- **IMDb ID:** tt8359848
- **TMDB ID:** 507076
- **Wikidata ID:** Q52000412
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8359848/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/507076, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q52000412

**Fi1m score: 73** · Critics 65 from 23 reviews

*In a sentence:* The dancing is so good we briefly forget to worry about being trapped with Gaspar Noé

> Gaspar Noé makes dance exhilarating and collective panic hard to escape. *Climax* is worth the ordeal for its choreography and camerawork, though the people remain frustratingly thin beneath the distress.

## Synopsis

A group of dancers gather to perform, with Selva (Sofia Boutella), David (Romain Guillermic) and Lou (Souheila Yacoub) among them. Their shared routine gives way to less controlled movement as intoxication begins to change the atmosphere. Selva needs to keep her bearings among people whose behaviour is growing unpredictable. With the dancers close together and the music continuing, there is little chance to step back from the confusion. Suspicion starts to replace the cooperation of the opening dance, and keeping control becomes the group’s immediate problem.

## Review

Gaspar Noé’s *Climax* is a gripping dance-horror film with thin characters and a weakness for prolonging its cruelty. The opening group routine gives it a considerable advantage: we have enjoyed watching these people together before we have to watch them become frightened. Noé wants that change to be felt physically, and his camera and soundtrack do much of the work. The trouble comes when the film expects mounting distress to tell us more about people than the screenplay has.

We were exhilarated by the opening routine, because the sustained shot lets us see the performers’ coordination without breaking their work into fragments. Benoît Debie follows the group with enough freedom to make the camera feel involved in the movement, while leaving the dancing legible. Individual performers catch our attention without the sequence losing its sense of a whole group at work. It is a pleasure to be allowed to look for ourselves rather than have each impressive movement isolated for inspection.

Editors Denis Bedlow and Gaspar Noé let that pleasure last, which matters when the film begins to turn unpleasant. We have been given time to watch the dancers before their behaviour becomes alarming. Thomas Bangalter’s music contributes to a soundtrack whose force is essential to this change: its volume keeps us involved even when we might prefer to step back. The sound can be punishing, but it does a clear job. It makes calm observation of the dancers’ distress difficult.

Jean Rabasse’s production design is effective chiefly because it gives Debie space to keep moving around the performers. As that movement grows disorientating, the surroundings begin to feel harder to escape, even without a cut telling us to be afraid. We were unsettled by how little relief the long takes allowed. The same uninterrupted attention that made the dancing pleasurable makes the panic difficult to put aside.

Noé’s screenplay is less persuasive when it asks us to distinguish the people from their reactions. Sofia Boutella gives Selva a physical presence we can hold on to, and the ensemble’s commitment keeps the distress from feeling merely decorative. But physical effort cannot supply every missing piece of character. Too often we understand what a person is feeling without having much sense of who they are, which limits how far the horror can develop.

A horror film can manage with a slight story if it keeps finding new ways to frighten us. Here, the escalating shocks become repetitive, and some of the later insistence feels unnecessary. The performers have already made the loss of control convincing; keeping them at that pitch for longer does not automatically make it more disturbing. We still wanted them to be all right, but we also wanted Noé to find another way of sustaining our concern.

At 97 minutes, this is short enough to tempt the curious, but its intensity needs taking seriously. We would save it for an evening when a punishing horror film sounds appealing, rather than use it to settle a disagreement over what to watch. Anyone hoping for the dance to provide a little relief should know that Noé has other plans.

*Fi1m score 73, published 24 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

The consensus leans positive, with praise clustering around the opening dance sequence, the ensemble’s physical commitment and the choreography. Most critics admire the energy of these passages, including several who dislike the film that follows. The more enthusiastic reviews also praise the fluid, disorienting camerawork and forceful use of music and sound, finding that Gaspar Noé makes the dancers’ mounting panic claustrophobic and convincing.

The spread is wide, however, and the chief disagreement concerns whether that sensory assault gives sufficient reason to care about the people caught in it. Paste finds greater warmth and care for the characters, making their suffering affecting. Variety argues that escalating shock tactics lose the human drama that initially makes the film compelling. Other reservations centre on thin characterisation, repetitive images and excessive length: even some favourable reviews find the film difficult to care about once the dancing gives way to distress.

## Straight answers

**Is Climax worth watching?**

*Climax* is worth watching for its exhilarating choreography and disorientating camerawork if punishing horror appeals to us; we score it 73. The opening dance gives us a reason to care about the group, but thin characters and repetitive shocks make the prolonged distress less rewarding than the performers’ commitment deserves.

**How long is Climax, and what is it rated?**

*Climax* runs 1h 37m and is rated VM18 by the MiC in Italy. It is a drama and horror film.

**Where can I watch Climax in Italy?**

*Climax* is streaming on Amazon Prime Video in Italy, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV from €3.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is Climax, and is it suitable for children?**

*Climax* has a UK 18 certificate and is not suitable for children: its intoxication, collective panic and prolonged distress make it a punishing adult horror film. We find the long takes and forceful soundtrack unsettling because they allow little relief, so we would steer anyone sensitive to sustained fear towards something gentler.

**How does Climax compare to The Red Shoes?**

*Climax* offers a harsher dance-horror experience than [*The Red Shoes*](https://film.one/film/the-red-shoes), which we recommend more broadly for making a dancer’s ambition feel urgent and dangerous. Both film dance with conviction and make the performers’ dedication frightening, but we favour *The Red Shoes* for its dramatic pull; *Climax* suits those seeking physical intensity despite thin characterisation.

### Reviews we read (23)

- **Radio Times**, Alan Jones (5/5): Jones describes the film as a demented, tripped-out descent from musical frenzy into a destructive comedown. He praises its brilliantly choreographed dance routines, which shift from hypnotic delight to chilling shock. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-e5n8nb/climax/)
- **The AV Club**, A.A. Dowd (A-): Dowd praises Climax as a brilliantly deranged, topical horror film and an exceptionally immersive experience. He singles out Noé’s disorienting camera work and choreography for making the bad-trip panic feel claustrophobic and convincing. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/what-if-gaspar-noe-threw-a-party-and-everyone-lost-thei-1826005788)
- **Vulture**, Emily Yoshida (90/100, inferred): Yoshida finds the film exhilarating, humane, and a small miracle in Gaspar Noé’s recent work. She particularly praises the vibrant ensemble and the joyful, expertly choreographed dance sequence. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2019/02/climax-is-the-best-movie-gaspar-no-has-made-in-ages.html)
- **Sight and Sound**, Ella Kemp (85/100, inferred): Kemp finds the film an overwhelming, electric and compellingly visceral experience. She particularly praises the dancers’ honest portrayal of intoxication and the dizzying single-shot sequence. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/climax-first-look-gaspar-noes-dance-demonic)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Todd McCarthy (82/100, inferred): McCarthy praises the film as a rousing, visually bold return for Gaspar Noé. He singles out the fluid camerawork and musical choices that make the dancers’ exhilarating first half and harrowing descent compelling. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/climax-review-1111455/)
- **Little White Lies**, Adam Woodward (3/4/3): Woodward finds the film entertaining but ultimately hard to care about. He praises the exhilarating opening dance routine, while faulting the film for prioritising immersive long takes over developed characters. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/climax)
- **Time Out**, Joseph Walsh (4/5): The critic’s verdict is positive, presenting the film as a boundary-pushing experience worth joining. The page singles out its cranked-up sound and nausea-inducing camerawork. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/climax-1)
- **Empire**, Helen O'Hara (75/100, inferred): O’Hara finds the film upsetting but energetic and hard to look away from. She praises the cast’s physicality and Noé’s dizzying long takes, while noting the thin plot and unclear point. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/climax-review/)
- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (65/100, inferred): Bradshaw finds the film visually audacious and demonically inspired, though its finale becomes anticlimactic. He especially praises the extraordinary dance sequences and their vivid, high-energy presentation. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/may/13/climax-review-gaspar-noe-satanic-dance-troupe-freak-out-sex-despair-dance)
- **Screen Daily**, Jonathan Romney (64/100, inferred): Romney presents the film as an uncompromising street-dance and horror hybrid. The review’s specific verdict and any singled-out praise or complaint are unavailable in the paywall shell. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/climax-cannes-review/5129272.article)
- **The New York Times** (64/100, inferred): The page could not be accessed, so the critic’s verdict is unavailable. No praise or complaint can be reliably identified from the page provided. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/28/movies/climax-review.html)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Justin Chang (40/100, inferred): Chang finds the film exhilarating at first but ultimately disappointing, with its rave-fueled finale less affecting than it aims to be. He praises the opening dance sequence for its electrifying choreography and fluid, single-take camerawork. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-climax-review-20190228-story.html)
- **Variety**, Owen Gleiberman (35/100, inferred): Gleiberman finds the film compelling at first but ultimately undone by its escalating shock tactics. He praises the dancers’ opening performance and the vivid choreography, while faulting the later scenes for losing the human drama. [Read](https://variety.com/2018/film/reviews/climax-revew-gaspar-noe-1202808699/)
- **Slant Magazine**, Sam C. Mac (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a disappointing missed opportunity, short on ideas despite its provocative premise. They praise its fleeting moments of disturbed horror and twisted beauty, but fault its repetitive visual approach. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/cannes-film-review-climax/)
- **The New Yorker** (20/100, inferred): The critic finds the film numbingly dull and morally schematic. They praise the inspired choreography in several long dance scenes, but fault the way Noé films them. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/goings-on-about-town/movies/climax)
- **Collider**, Gregory Ellwood (A-): Ellwood finds the film overwhelmingly captivating, though its increasingly frantic sequences can feel never-ending. He especially praises the sweeping, extended dance sequences and their mesmerizing camerawork. [Read](https://collider.com/climax-review-gaspar-noe/)
- **Paste**, Will Leitch (9.0): Leitch calls Climax Noé’s best film and welcomes its greater warmth and care for its characters. He especially praises the opening dance sequence, whose vivid energy makes the dancers’ later suffering affecting. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/gaspar-noe/climax)
- **The Wrap** (85/100, inferred): The critic finds the film an exhilarating, stylish trip and calls it an absolute scream. They single out Benoit Debie’s fluid camera, which moves in lockstep with the dancers through the shifting moods. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/climax-film-review-movie-lsd-trip/)
- **Den of Geek**, Don Kaye (4/5): Kaye praises Climax as an astonishing visual and technical achievement, though he describes it as a harrowing experience rather than an enjoyable film. He singles out the long, kinetic dance sequence and the camera’s hypnotic movement as striking achievements. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/climax-review/)
- **/Film**, Marshall Shaffer (7 out of 10): Shaffer finds the film visually thrilling but ultimately overlong and thematically thin. He praises the unbroken dance sequence and the camera’s kinetic movement, while faulting the film for lingering after its images lose their impact. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/560817/climax-review/)
- **Consequence**, Sarah Kurchak (35/100, inferred): Kurchak finds the film often provocative but ultimately overindulgent, hollow, and less unsettling than it aims to be. She praises its brilliantly staged dance sequence and the paranoid sensory immersion before the chaos becomes cartoonish. [Read](https://consequence.net/2019/02/film-review-climax/)
- **Polygon**, Karen Han (25/100, inferred): Han finds the film visually impressive but ultimately draining and hollow, arguing that its provocations lack a meaningful center. She praises the dancers’ opening performance and the film’s striking style, but says the escalating cruelty feels designed chiefly to shock. [Read](https://www.polygon.com/2019/3/8/18250419/climax-review-a24-gaspar-noe/)
- **HeyUGuys**, Ben Robbins (15/100, inferred): Robbins finds the film dramatically empty and far less provocative than Noé’s earlier work. He gives some credit to the early dance sequences’ visual appeal, but complains that the film’s later chaos lacks substance and bite. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/climax-review-frightfest-2018/)

## Details

- **Director:** Gaspar Noé
- **Director:** Gaspar Noé
- **Screenplay:** Gaspar Noé
- **Cinematography:** Benoît Debie
- **Editor:** Gaspar Noé, Denis Bedlow
- **Music:** Thomas Bangalter
- **Production design:** Jean Rabasse
- **Costume design:** Frédéric Cambier
- **Producer:** Vincent Maraval, Brahim Chioua, Édouard Weil
- **Cast:** Sofia Boutella as Selva; Romain Guillermic as David; Souheila Yacoub as Lou; Kiddy Smile as Daddy; Claude-Emmanuelle Gajan-Maull as Emmanuelle; Giselle Palmer as Gazelle; Taylor Kastle as Taylor; Thea Carla Schøtt as Psyche
- **Runtime:** 1h 37m
- **Certificate (MiC):** VM18
- **Release (Italy):** 13 June 2019
- **Genres:** Drama, Horror, Music
- **Budget:** $3 million
- **Box office:** $2 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi69nL_VrTE

## Where to watch in Italy

- Amazon Prime Video: streaming
- Amazon Prime Video: rent €3.99, hd
- Apple TV: rent €3.99, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy €5.99, hd
- Apple TV: buy €5.99, hd

*Checked 2026-09-24.*

Also available in: AT, AU, BE, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, DE, DK, FI, FR, GB, IE, IT, JP, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PT, SE, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- IFFR audience award 2019: IFFR audience award (nominated)
- Sitges Film Festival Best Feature-Length Film award 2018: Sitges Film Festival Best Feature-Length Film award (won)

## If you liked this

- *Suspiria* (1977): Dance, threatening colour and punishing music, with even less interest in reassurance.
- *The Red Shoes* (1948), Fi1m 92: For dance filmed with conviction, and performers whose dedication becomes frightening. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-red-shoes.md)
- *Possession* (1981): Another physically punishing descent into hysteria, with performances that refuse a safe distance.
- *House* (1977): A more playful assault on the senses, equally willing to abandon sensible behaviour.
- *The Fits* (2015): Group choreography and bodily unease, handled with the quiet that Noé rarely permits.

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/climax