Even the worst vacation you’ve ever had — screaming kids, delayed flights, cruise ship food poisoning — has nothing on Infinity Pool, the latest from director Brandon Cronenberg (son of body horror master David Cronenberg). What starts as an escape to a picturesque resort swiftly turns into a bizarre and gruesome game of violence and brutality, with a little existential horror thrown in for good measure. Infinity Pool doesn’t fully explore the elements that kick off its high-concept premise, but it’s worth it to watch two talented actors absolutely lose their sh*t.
The film takes place in the fictional country of Li Tolqa, where James (Alexander Skarsgård) and his wife Em (Cleopatra Coleman) are taking an all-inclusive vacation at a peaceful resort. James is in search of inspiration: his debut book came out six years ago, promptly flopped, and he’s struggling with the follow-up, only able to survive because Em’s family owns a sprawling publishing empire. Eventually, the couple meets Gabi (Mia Goth), one of the book’s rare and elusive fans, and her partner, Alban (Jalil Lespert), and start hanging out.
Central to the story is the country itself. While wealthy Western tourists hang out on fancy expensive beaches, the rest of Li Tolqa is a poor, superstitious, and extremely conservative country. Tourists aren’t even supposed to leave the resort, which is surrounded by an intimidating fence complete with armed guards. So when the two couples sneak out to go to a local beach for a picnic, things ultimately turn bad following a car accident.
James finds himself convicted of a crime in a country where the penalty is execution — but with a twist for the very rich. Criminals are able to pay an exorbitant amount of cash to be cloned and then forced to witness their double being executed instead of them. It’s kind of like a Get Out of Jail Free card, except your poor clone still has all of your memories when they’re being stabbed to death. You even get to keep their ashes. Rather than a punishment, though, for some people, this process of seeing themselves die awakens something dark deep inside of them. James finds himself pulled into a group of these sickos, led by Gabi, who treat Li Tolqa like a hedonistic getaway, where they are essentially invincible and able to do whatever they want because they can pay their way out of it.
Infinity Pool raises some interesting questions about existence, as James and his cohort briefly contemplate what it means to have a clone with all of the same memories. But that doesn’t last long. Mostly, they use the legal loophole as an excuse to do whatever they want, coming up with twisted “games” full of brutal violence to make their vacation more exciting. They get caught, watch themselves die, and do it all over again. (It’s a kind of death loop, if you will.) The film is primarily a chronicle of James’ descent into madness through surreal montages of orgies and murder.
Ultimately, there isn’t much to the existential side of the story, and the film also breezes past its thread of wealthy, mostly white tourists turning a foreign country into a hedonistic playground. These elements are part of the initial setup and are quickly forgotten, so don’t go in expecting something like a horror version of The White Lotus that explores colonial tourism. But Infinity Pool still works as a strange and unsettling exploration of the depths of depravity the tourists sink to, thanks to a combination of Cronenberg’s shocking imagery — this is definitely not for the squeamish, with lots of close-ups of brutal violence and, uh, morphing genitals — and the performances of Skarsgård and Goth.
Skarsgård really embodies the premise. He starts out as clean-cut and clearheaded, but the seduction of power and violence turns him into something completely different by the end. At times, he’s a hulking brute fueled by a local drug, and other times he’s a drooling mess led around like a horrible puppy. Goth, meanwhile, continues to be one of the preeminent faces of modern horror, following up her turn in Pearl with another stunner — controlling events with a calm sort of charm that’s almost mesmerizing. When she does finally let loose, it is absolutely terrifying.
As an intellectual exercise, Infinity Pool is disappointing — but as a strange and uncomfortable ride through (an all-inclusive) hell, it definitely works. And it will make your next hotel breakfast buffet seem not so bad after all.
This review is based on a screening at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. Infinity Pool is in theaters on January 27th.
FAQs
Summary. Infinity Pool explores the concept of identity and the loss of humanity when there are no consequences for committing crimes. The film delves into themes of hedonism and affluence, highlighting how wealth can lead to extreme and immoral desires.
What is the summary of Infinity Pool? ›
What is the philosophy of the Infinity Pool? ›
The satirical humor utilized throughout “Infinity Pool” is excellent because it accentuates the story's viciousness. Through this blend of horror and humor, Cronenberg takes direct aim at the protection that comes from being rich. It is easy for those with financial power to be comfortable with cruelty.
What country was Infinity Pool filmed in? ›
Much of the cast joined the project that year and filming took place primarily in Šibenik, Croatia. Infinity Pool premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 22, 2023. It was released theatrically in Canada by Elevation Pictures on January 27, 2023. The film received positive reviews from critics.
Why is infinity pool controversial? ›
Another key part of the plot is a slew of slayings — in the form of bloody executions. Doubling down on the gore, the film's tagline is “Only through blood can you release your past.” And there are demented, hallucinogenic, graphic orgies.
What is the concept of infinity pool? ›
What is an infinity pool? Also known as zero-edge pools or rimless pools, infinity pools are designed to give the illusion of a missing edge. The water appears to flow beyond the edge and into, well, infinity. These pools are often built with beautiful horizons beyond the 'missing edge'.
What happened to James at the end of infinity pool? ›
In the end, James doesn't get on his plane. Instead, he stays at the resort in the rainy season. The infinity pool that Gabi mentioned earlier in the film begins to flood.
What is so special about an infinity pool? ›
This illusion is created with intelligent design getting the water to flow over the edge making it seem as though the pool merges with the surrounding landscape. Whether facing sea views or mountain scenery, infinity pools offer an unbeatable sensation of continuity with the environment.
Where is Li Tolqa supposed to be? ›
Infinity Pool is set in the fictional coastal nation of Li Tolqa – the film was shot in Croatia, but wherever it is, Li Tolqa is an impoverished police state with a draconian legal system which stipulates the death penalty for all crimes.
Is infinity pool inappropriate? ›
Parents need to know that Infinity Pool is a surreal thriller with explicit, sometimes disturbing sexual imagery and graphic violence. Through wealthy, privileged main character James Foster (Alexander Skarsgard), writer-director Brandon Cronenberg explores issues of masculinity, ego, and entitlement.
The paradox states that you can still fit another infinite number of guests in the hotel because of the infinite number of rooms. If the rooms were full, then there is a last room, which means that the number of rooms is countable. To solve this paradox, we must first make it clear that infinity is not a number.
Is the place in infinity pool real? ›
Infinity Pool follows a semi-successful novelist, James (Alexander Skarsgård), and his wealthy wife, Em (Cleopatra Coleman), during their stay at an isolated resort on the fictional island of Li Tolqa.
What is the point of the movie Infinity Pool? ›
Infinity Pool showed us a world where humans are their own worst enemy. A world where they don't have to face the consequences of their actions and their first choice is to harm and murder other humans.
Is the Infinity Pool worth watching? ›
Sick, Twisted, and Fun! Infinity Pool is a good horror film filled with good acting, murders, and the story. The story with it being that a rich couple named James (Alexander Skarsgard) and Em (Cleopatra Coleman) are vacationing in a resort, but in a foreign country.
Why is Infinity Pool NC-17? ›
Cronenberg had four options: Accept the NC-17 rating (for “some graphic violence and sexual content”); opt out of the ratings system entirely, risking some of the same consequences; formally appeal the decision; or edit the movie down to an R, as many directors have done in the past.
What are the content warnings for infinity pool? ›
Parents need to know that Infinity Pool is a surreal thriller with explicit, sometimes disturbing sexual imagery and graphic violence. Through wealthy, privileged main character James Foster (Alexander Skarsgard), writer-director Brandon Cronenberg explores issues of masculinity, ego, and entitlement.
Why did Gabi breastfeed James? ›
The grotesque in the film is increased when we see Gabi offering James her breast to breastfeed after he kills his clone. She even covered her breast with the blood of the now-dead clone. This was the end of whatever humane thing that was inside of James as it represented his rebirth.
What is the movie infinity pool about ending? ›
James attempts to take the shuttle to the airport, but Gabi and the other tourists hold the bus up at gunpoint until James agrees to come with them. Gabi forces James to walk in front of her car at gunpoint, while she reveals she never read his book and never respected him as a person.
