Climax (2018)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.