Moebius Review

Posted 10 years ago by myetvmedia

Rarely does a film offend in every conceivable manner. Moebius not only achieves this dubious plateau, it beats, molests, and mutilates it once there. And most disturbing of all, this is only a fraction of what’s in store.

Korean writer/director Kim Ki-duk continues the provocation he’d started with last year’s Pietà in this modern drama of a family falling apart. Learning that her husband (long time Ki-duk collaborator Jo Jae-hyun) has been unfaithful, a mother (Lee Eun-woo) exacts vengeance through their teenage son (Seo Young-joo) by dismembering his penis while he sleeps. The act triggers a collapse of their lives, sending each of them towards self-destruction.

The film is wordless, with action playing entirely through looks and actions. This almost-silent state sets the unsettling tone for what lies ahead, as if some actions are too horrific to speak of. And in this, Ki-duk wastes no time in obliging. Moebius is mentally scarring, not for the eerie silence or the emotional collapse of its characters, but for the grotesque and often unnecessary tortures inflicted on them. Even moments of humour are centred around graphic violence, offering no respite for the characters or for us.

Not since Lars von Trier’s Antichrist have I had such a visceral reaction to a film. And the two share much in common: genital mutilation, mentally unstable heroines, even a challenging of gender roles and powers. But Antichrist is given grace for its powerful imagery and breathtaking cinematography. Moebius bears none of this, and as a result, it feels gratuitous, even shameful. Provocative is fine, as long as there’s something worth provoking. Moebius shocks simply because it can.  Moebius made it’s North American premiere at TIFF13 this September.

Nimy Leshinski

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