Infinity Pool review: Brandon Cronenberg is no clone of his father
In an industry currently debating its own nepotism, Brandon Cronenberg is setting himself apart from the crowd. The son of legendary director David, he shares his father’s interest in surreal imagery, but takes it in new and interesting directions.
In his third film, Infinity Pool, Alexander Skarsgård stars as James, a writer who escapes to a remote resort with his wife Em (Cleopatra Coleman). Their marital strife is interrupted by Gabi (Mia Goth), a fan of James’ who invites the couple into her world of debauchery and violence.
Things go too far and James is sentenced to death, but with a twist: take his punishment, or pay to watch a clone of him take his place. It’s not one for the fainthearted but if you can stomach what unfolds, an interesting moral tale presents itself, asking whether humans are good by nature or simply afraid of consequences.
After shining in The Northman, Skarsgård delivers another intriguingly complex performance. He works well with Goth, quickly becoming a giant of the genre after his success with Suspiria, X and Pearl. Her grinning, enigmatic presence is the perfect avatar for the seductive uncertainly that awaits in the later acts.
While it’s too extreme for blockbuster audiences, Infinity Pool will satisfy those with a taste for the unusual. It also shows Cronenberg is more than a clone of his father.