The reviews are sharply divided, with praise outnumbering outright rejection but little agreement on what the film achieves. Favourable reviews find its distressing material emotionally forceful and thought-provoking, with praise clustering around Noé’s camerawork, the reverse chronology and the performances of Monica Bellucci and Vincent Cassel. Bellucci receives particular attention for her responses to both danger and happiness. Even admirers describe the violence as difficult, sometimes nearly impossible, to watch.
The disagreement concerns whether that ordeal serves a purpose. The Guardian finds the violence squalid and the reversed chronology less effective than earlier examples; the Los Angeles Times regards the film as exploitative shock cinema, objecting especially to the prolonged, voyeuristic depiction of rape. These are substantial objections to choices that supporters find meaningful, rather than minor reservations. The available excerpts from two further reviews offer no clear verdict, limiting what can be said about the middle ground.