Titane (2021) User Reviews

Strange, uncomfortable viewing which i couldn't stop watching.

[stuart-smith729 · 7/10 · 20 December 2021]

I viewed this movie simply due to Vincent Lindon being in it, seen it was classed scifi so went into it knowing nothing.

Young girl is involved in a car accident and get a metal plate fitted, years later while working as a model she kills a stalker and has sex with a car.

She kills a few more people then decides to pretend to be Vincent's long lost son by shaving her head etc

She works with vincent as a firefighter while pregnant with a cadillacs baby. She cheats on the cadillac with a fire engine.

At the end she tried to have sex with her dad, he doesnt so she gives birth to a hybrid human/robot baby and dies, her not dad is happy.

The End.

What an incredibly bizarre movie which I may alter my score as a days pass, maybe higher or maybe lower as there's a bit to process in this.

What did I just watch?

[Lewis_Heather787 · 7/10 · 27 December 2021]

I am speechless!

Erm......seriously I have no idea what i just watched?

This has got to be one of the most unusual, disturbing, weird and completely bonkers film that I've seen in a while. The first 30 minutes of the film are the best for me, felt more a "standard" horror/thriller setup. However this film takes so many bizarre twists and turns which I'm not sure all worked. Trust me you have a lot of questions after seeing this film.

Visually stunning I must say though and I love the fact that this is a really ballsy film, 100% original for that matter!! However I think it might have helped if now and then it was just a little boring or normal hahaha!

I mean its an experience I wont forget but then again I wont rush to see this film again any time soon, I think I need to let my brain process this all. I completely understand why a lot of people would hate this film, it really is not for everyone!!

70% out of 100, I'm stunned and shocked how this turned out and the fact that someone thought of this idea for a film.........are they ok? Hahahah!!

getting some strange

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 22 October 2021]

Erotic performer Alexia (Agathe Rousselle) has a head scar from a childhood car accident. She is hounded by her male fans. One get especially pushy and she stabs him to death. She has sex in a mysterious car. She continues to kill. She gets pregnant somewhere along the way. She masquerades as a missing boy and reunites with the boy's father Vincent (Vincent Lindon) who takes her in as the boy.

This is one strange film. It's a French body horror. It starts like a damaged girl gone bad. It has a bit of Crash, the good Cronenberg movie not the other one. It gets surreal and then it gets weird. It gets confused. It gets weirder and then it gets extremely weird with the body horror. It's doing stuff with toxic masculinity and body image and sexuality and self-denial and... and... and... I was at the edge of my seat with the baby reveal. Quite frankly, it's a little bit of a letdown. I was expecting something weirder like a Demon Seed. This is a must-see for people who loves weird. It is challenging at times but it's never boring.

French Surrealism

[mistermansfield · 7/10 · 26 January 2022]

I don't really know what I just watched. It was incredibly weird, but nevertheless watchable. In fact, I might even go as far as to say it was mesmerizing.

I'm sure there were some really deep themes, of which I could glean only a handful. But maybe that's a lacking in myself. These themes - as far as I could make out - include love and loss, rage, psychosis, and identity. Even a slight hint of incest.

But there are still a couple of pretty pertinent things that remain a mystery. Big mysteries!

I would recommend this film to those who want to lose themselves in one woman's psychedelic / psychotic journey, or for those who enjoy analyzing and could possibly apply meaning to scenes and images that I don't think were included for fun, but which I can't work out.

Nevertheless, I would recommend people check it out - if only for the originality and creativity. It won't be for everyone. It starts off rather sedately and then gets deeper and deeper into the bizarre. Personally, I love cinema that pushes boundaries and dares to be different - even if it fails, which this one definitely doesn't.

So be brave. Try something new. Expect to be challenged, and perhaps even a little offended, and definitely expect to see something different.

And I can't sign off without congratulating the performance of the two leads - Agathe Rousselle and Vincent Lindon. Both did brilliant jobs, especially Agathe since this was her feature film debut.

Not coated in Titanium.

[colour-me-kubrick · 3 August 2021]

Original. Daring. But doesn't quite gel.

I am writing a review after ages. Perhaps it's a sign of a good movie that provoked this response. Or perhaps it's just appreciation for a director who really did go for it. Ducarnau demonstrated the Cronenbergesque body horror and satire in her first feature film. Titane has confirmed that she is definitely could be the next champion of extremely physical movies. Film reminds of themes of Crash ( 1996 ) and to some extent Videodrome ( 1983 ) .

Keeping the cryptic and puzzling aspects aside, it's a basic story of finding closure and a place in this world, when you have ambiguous intimacy / sexuality, distorted physicality, suppressed emotions and childhood trauma.

Ducarnau is however not quiet able to meet the ambition of ideas she is putting down on canvas. There is rather drastic shifts in tone of movie, which can be confusing. There is no harm in mixing genres but I felt a bit lost in parts of second half.

The shock values of the scenes ( and they are shocking ) wears off once you are no longer sure of motives of players especially when you are not totally buying into it. In first 15 min, the film hits such high note that the twists and turns that follow almost negate the impact.

I would say if you are looking for a provocative film, this is the one. However, keep an open mind. Titane is ambitious but it's not able to live up to its potential.

The Most Absurd, French, and Depraved Feel-Good Family Film of the Year

[MovieRiffing · 8/10 · 1 October 2021]

From the opening scene, Titane continuously doubles down on its own outrageous absurdity until it suddenly pulls back. You go from watching a thriller, to body horror, to something that has a lot to say about what it means to be family. Specifically, what it means to be family in action, not just by blood or oil. Titane somehow addresses gender fluidity, the role of parents to support and accept, the male ego slipping as bodies and testosterone age away, and the opportunity to choose a family not given to you by birth all while bombarding the screen with gore and squirm inducing violence. You find you cannot look away from these disturbing images partly because of how beautifully Titane presents them and partly because they all have something to say. Even though the film may retreat too far from its own deliriousness in the second half, it comes speeding back just in time for a finale that will have you guessing until its last push. Strap in because Titane is one hell of a ride.

About as unique as films come

[jtindahouse · 7/10 · 18 February 2022]

The first 20 minutes or so of 'Titane' are about as off the wall bonkers as you'll ever see in a film. It got to the point where I was wondering if they were intending to keep that pace and insanity up for the runtime of the film. Things do settle down a bit from there on out (at least comparatively) but man that was a wild set up.

I felt I had a reasonably strong grip on what the film was going for, but I did watch a Youtube explanation video just to be sure. It was similar to what I thought but did point out a few things I had missed or misinterpreted. Beneath all the insanity there are certainly some layers of intelligence.

Agathe Rousselle in the lead role gives a quite incredible performance. Her transformation alone is stunning. But also the intensity and fascination she is able to attract is something this project couldn't have done without.

This is one of those extremely unique films that you will likely never see anything like again. I'd say it's not a film that is going to be to everyone's liking. But if you have the right mind-frame (and stomach) for it then give it a crack. Strap yourself in though, it's a bump ride. 7/10.

Spectacularly messed up

[jfgibson73 · 4/10 · 21 November 2021]

This story did not draw me in. Upon first watch, it was very confusing. After taking some time to understand it better, I would say it just wasn't for me. I did not enjoy the lead performances; I did not find either character likeable or interesting, and in fact, I wanted them off the screen whenever I saw them. I didn't care about what either of them were trying to accomplish. For me, this movie just kept going and going. I don't think any part of it had any interest for me. I am not sure why I reacted this way; I suppose it's a matter of preference. A big letdown.

Regardless of whether you like it or dislike it, you probably won't forget it

[Jeremy_Urquhart · 8/10 · 27 December 2021]

Titane is a lot, and while I can't claim to know exactly what I just watched, I can tell it was about a lot, and every topic and theme it did tackle throughout its bizarre and unique premise was very interesting, to say the least.

It's compelling throughout, shot well, has two strong lead performances, and some imagery that's very memorable, for better or worse.

The less I describe the plot the better, because I'd sound like a crazy person if I tried. You can always tell what's going on at a base level, but the premise itself - and the events of the narrative - are wild and unhinged.

Saw it at the theatres by myself- there's no one I could think of that would be into it, and I didn't really want to subject family/friends to something I'd heard was pretty messed up. There were a couple of older people at the cinema who made shocked noises every time something violent/weird happened, which was pretty often.

I might've preferred Ducournau's previous film Raw a little more (which might not be a popular opinion), but this was a strong follow up, and will prove to be one of 2021's most memorable films.

(Also loved hearing Future Islands in the soundtrack during one important scene. They're a great band)

Car shaking wildness

[BandSAboutMovies · 7/10 · 27 October 2021]

Coming five years after Raw, Julia Ducournau's Titante (Titanium) is also Croenenberg-inspired but goes in its own direction. Or plenty of directions, to be perfectly honest.

When she was a child, Alexia was in a car accident that she caused by distracting her father. After years of painful surgeries, she's grown into a woman (Agathe Rousselle) who wants nothing to do with her parents - despite living with them - and makes her living as a motor show salesgirl, writhing provocatively atop a car that us so moved by the experience that it makes love to her after she's killed a man with her hatpin.

Yes, you read that right.

Alexia is also a serial killer who has a history of wiping out her human lovers. But the one thing she can't kill is the new life inside her. After a victim escapes, she sets her parents house ablaze with them inside and reacts to being a wanted woman by assuming the identity of Adrien, a lost boy, by repeatedly breaking her nose and transforming her body by duct tape to take on a male appearance.

The boy's father Vincent (Vincent Lindon), a steroid-addicted firefighter, doesn't need a DNA test. Obviously, this is his son, returned from wherever he was, and he will now protect him as he didn't before. Let the other firefighters discuss the mute and androgynous and obvious damaged "son" that is part of their crew; the captain is respected enough that everyone understands the loss he's endured. Even his ex-wife, later in the film, who discovers that Adrien is Alexia.

Despite all evidence to the contrary, Vincent still believes that this is his son, even after he begins dripping motor oil and displaying a mechanical endoskeleton and bursting from whatever is growing within him or her.

The winner of the Palme d'Or at this year's Cannes Film Festival, Titane won't be for everyone. Just like the titanium structure holding together its protagonist's skull, it threatens to break at any time but holds together by sheer force of will and the tenacity of lead Agathe Rousselle, who plays her as the most seductive and most frightening woman of all time seemingly in the same scene, appearing to be heartbreakingly gorgeous and near-death also within seconds of one another.

This is a film of juxtaposition, of the real and unreal. Beyond becoming a fake person, its lead is a horror movie cipher, a mechanical woman willing to become a man but to never stop seducing and destroying because that's all she or he knows, the only tenderness to be found in the backseats of cars all alone as they jump and flash their lights into the too dark night. Meanwhile, Vincent is a very real character, a man whose strength has defined his life but is escaping him, a person who would rather accept the fake story that his son has returned than to accept that what he loves - and has recreated numerous times through the firemen who are the missing child's surrogates - is gone forever.

Also: puke, black oil coming out of orifices, hatpin murders and dancing atop firetrucks.

The film has very little to say at all...

[tccandler · 3/10 · 19 October 2021]

I am a fan of arthouse cinema. I enjoy weird and strange. Anything non-standard and original intrigues me. I have seen virtually every film ever made that has been labelled as shocking or controversial. "Titane" purports to be all those things... but it fails on all levels. I found the film slow and empty. I thought it was shock over substance... and the shock was timid and pointless. It is the kind of cinema that thinks it is deep and meaningful, but has very little to say at all.

For sheer originality and psychological kayering Titane deserves its accolades.there is a lot of black humour and pathos and the film should just be experienced.

[janecreates-1 · 8/10 · 29 July 2021]

I suspect Titane was also made not to engage but for us to observe which is quite a risky thing to do but the fantastical plot elements and sheer nuttiness of Titane are enough - it is an art house film in that it explores themes rather than follows a strong narrative. It is also therefore not strictly any genre and with such a lot going on it would be a thankless task to pin it down in this way. It's best viewed as a spectacle and almost a mirror on some of societies darker undersides! I loved it as it represented a very 21st century approach to writing which it admirably pulls off.

The Biggest Collective Madness of 2021

[AyrtonMenezes · 7/10 · 30 October 2021]

Titane is the craziest movie of 2021. With a wonderful first act (maybe the biggest cinematic event of the year), the film wrap the viewer in a story that mixes bodily horror with the psychological madness of human beings. Through the various breaks in expectations, Ducournau seems to play with the viewer's intellect because when think they're understanding which way the story is heading, everything gets more confused, leading him to ask himself: What the f... is going on?

However, the first act is so attractive that it works like a main course, from a spectacular menu, at the beginning of the meal and having difficulty keeping up the pace from the second act until the end of the feature. But don't kid yourself! The film doesn't keeps boring, never, because the director bets on the psychological thriller that belongs a possible revelation of the protagonist and making the climate increasingly cold and dangerous.

Guided by the brilliant Agathe Rousselle's performance, Titane envelops the viewer in a psychotic wildness together with the characters, delivering even more madness as a climax. I still can't say if I liked the movie (there are many eccentric elements thrown on top of each other), but I can say: Titane is not a bad movie and deserves to be watched, even though it is often unavoidable to turn your face so you don't see what goes on in the screen. I'm serious: Some scenes are simply disturbing, in the most varied contexts.

So Titane does not make the profile that pleases the Academy and should not win the Best International Film's category. However, it would be absurd for Titane not to be awarded whit a nomination. Ducournau's work also deserves attention too: It would not be unfair to imagine that she can also be contemplated with this visibility in the Best Director's category of the Oscars. And I don't need to talk about Agatha's acting, she is the heart of this movie with brilliance! What an actress!

Ridiculous

[avenuesf · 2/10 · 5 October 2021]

"Titane" has been hyped as a bizarre and original entry into the horror genre but its premise is nothing new (think of a messy mash-up of David Cronenberg's 'Crash' and 1977's "Demon Seed"). Anyone who has followed horror or science fiction films for the last five or ten years will find nothing unique or unsettling here. The film seems desperate to try and shock viewers by portraying excessive scenes of violence but it frequently goes wayover the top; as an example, there was one segment of the film I actually found myself laughing at in which the character repeatedly attempts to break her nose in order to change her appearance. Like many of the scenes in "Titane," it's taken to such extremes that it eventually just becomes absurd.

During the first 30 minutes or so of the film we're introduced to a dancer, Alexia (Agathe Rousselle) who seems to physically identify with cars and we're led to believe she might actually be partly mechanical herself. For reasons that are never explained, she often kills a series of lovers using a large large metallic knitting needle-type instrument after having sex with them. After setting fire to a house to murder several people inside (including her father), she decides to change her appearance to a male in order to avoid being apprehended by the authorities.

At this point the filmmakers' original plot seems to have run out of steam and "Titane" becomes a completely different film altogether. It segues into the story of an older paramedic/fireman who takes Alexia under his wing as he's convinced she's the son he's been grieving over for years. The character is beautifully played by Vincent London and his very poignant performance is by far the best thing in the film. We learn at this point that Alexia is also pregnant with what appears to be something mechanical; she begins to excrete motor oil rather than blood or bodily fluids. Other visual effects lead us to believe that her unborn baby is not human. As her pregnancy progresses it becomes more and more difficult for her to bind her breasts and protruding belly in order to pass as a believable male (although she was never really very convincing in the first place). During these scenes "Titane" seems to relish in not only showing the character in various stages of physical pain, but one tedious shot after another of her naked and scarred body.

MAJOR SPOILERS HERE: After the film's lengthy build-up, the ending totally cheats the audience. Vincent delivers the infant while our character is bleeding a gallon of motor oil, which for some reason he doesn't seem to find particularly unusual. We're shown only the back of the infant for about three seconds, and it appears to have a metallic spine. Vincent cradles the child and tells it he will be its father. The end credits roll.

Is the conclusion meant to be surreal after we've watched a film that seems to have been graphically literate? Is there a message here? At this point I really didn't care, as I was just glad it was over so I could leave the theater.

"Titane" could have made a fascinating short film at 15-20 minutes long, but there's just not enough material here to fill up the demands of a feature. There are too many needless scenes that are clearly just padding to fill up the film's almost interminable 108 minute running time. Besides not bringing anything particularly different to the table, it doesn't provide a satisfying conclusion after shamelessly baiting its audience for two-thirds of its running time.

This is a headline

[MNR87BPF · 7 October 2021]

I think there is no point in trying to judge or rate this film. Even though I am doing it in order to post something. It's as if the Wario version of Kill Bill went on a date with Lars von Trier. Then they went to a club, met Cronenberg, Lynch and the Toxic Avenger and they all took Ketamine. I would call it a masterpiece but I have a little issues about the violence. I can accept it, because it's art. But where does it stop? It is a disturbing film and I liked it. This is a thing people will talk about for a long long time. Also I am confused now. In terms of how the narrative is unfolded it reminded me of dogtooth from Lanthimos. The shifting of elements of a narrative in a film and replacing them by something else. It's Dada. Is this only making sense to me ?

Strong imagery not for the faint hearted

[cotta002-318-865119 · 7/10 · 17 January 2022]

I didn't read anything about this movie, I heard it could make it onto the Oscar's long list so gave it a go.

Immediately you realise this small girl has "issues" not sure what, but all becomes clear after a few minutes.

She has a car accident and needs a titanium implant in her skull, this accident clearly leaves a cathartic impression on her and cars which caused her injury.

We then see her as an adult , a car fanatic and erotic dancer famous around Europe' car and custom shows.

Extreme scenes , those with needle phobias will need to look away a few times.

On the run, finds a firefighter who is looking for his son who went missing 10 years ago, both had needs and make a weirdly suitable match.

If it were a crime drama it would be clear A-B storyline, but the writers added a twist which you really have to get your head around. I won't say what it would spoil it for you, just to say it's weird.

Extremely compelling viewing, if you were to put the movies "Eraserhead, Christine and Backdraft into a blender this is the movie you would end up with.

I liked it.

What a ride

[javieryalless · 8/10 · 2 December 2021]

It was crazy in the sweetest way possible, it's crazy. Julia Ducournau crafted a really unique movie, with multiple really interesting and thought provoking themes. Titane is surrounded by a mysterious aura, because not much is revealed about the plot in general, so I went into this film completely blind and oh boy, what a ride.

The film tries to portray the identity of children and parents in the form of a horror story.

[hasanimasoud · 7/10 · 25 October 2021]

The story of the film is a science fiction story that makes the viewer think with a series of deconstructive ideas about sexual desires and sexual identity. The film begins with its own storm, which is full of anger and bloody and shocking murders, shocking the viewer and nailing the foot of the film. The atmosphere of the film is a vague atmosphere that intrigues the viewer with its imaginative part and has been able to affect the viewer's nerves and psyche in many minutes. All in all, the film has a deep story that also won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and has a lot to say.

The Palme d'Or has lost its value and significance

[Coventry · 3/10 · 1 October 2022]

What does "Titane" have in common with films like "Parasite", "Amour", "Elephant", "The Pianist", "Pulp Fiction", and "Barton Fink". You guessed right; they're all winners of the Palme d'Or head price at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival. What else does "Titane" in common with the other films? Well, absolutely nothing, because all the others are genuine cinematic masterpieces that deserved to win a great price, whereas this film is nothing but a confusing, chaotic, and pretentious mess.

I honestly can't figure out why the Cannes' jury decided to let "Titane" win. Maybe because it's a French film at a French festival? Maybe because the director is a woman? Maybe because it's hip to pretend liking so-called elevated horror movies? Or maybe - and this is the likeliest option - those jury members saw a true masterpiece and I'm missing the point entirely once again.

"Titane" feels like David Cronenberg meets Takashi Miike, but then times infinity. It's body horror to the extreme, with the lead girl - Alexia - having a severe fetish for dancing sensually on rooftop of vehicles, and actually having sex WITH cars. We can only assume her weird fetish originates from a terribly car accident she was involved in as a child, which also caused for her to go through life with a metal plate in her skull. She's also a relentless serial killer, and to remain at large she takes the identity of a boy that went missing a decade ago. She moves in with her new father in his fire department station and must desperately conceal she's pregnant from a rusty old car.

In case this summary already makes you go WTF, just wait until you witness the full film. There's plenty of more senseless and incoherent nonsense where this came from. Admittedly, there are a handful of very powerful and genuinely shocking moments in "Titane", as well as good performances and a thoroughly uncanny atmosphere. Still, the good moments cannot compensate for the overload of pompous guff. I can't stand movies in which none of the characters can act or reactive rationally or even half-normal, nor wannabe art-house flicks that don't properly finish storylines or provide any sort of explanations.

In all fairness, the Palme d'Or should have gone to Paul Verhoeven's "Benedetta".

Titane

[tarstarkus-56822 · 8/10 · 10 January 2022]

I found this film to be more of an experience than a film with a coherent plot or story arc, that said there is a story arc buried beneath metaphors and cronenbergian body horror.

The film is about a woman who after nearly dying in a car crash as a child and now has a metal plate in her skull, which goes hand in hand with having a fetish for cars and a compulsion to kill everyone around her.

In many films the character arc is one of someone becoming more and more evil as the events of the film progress, however in this, like in a clockwork orange it is about an already evil character seeking redemption, only however to suit their own needs.

The protagonist after becoming impregnated by a car and a search warrant is out due to her massacring an entire house of people poses as the dead son of Vincent a fire sergeant, hence forth the entire tone of the film changes as the protagonist has very little dialogue from then on and completely changes her appearence.

Gradually theirs a realisation that she is not who she's pretending to be, however their relationship has developed to the stage that they have a semi symbiotic reliance on each other, Adrienne filling the gap of his lost son and Vincent filling the gap of her emotionally absent father, There are conflicts of gender roles that begin to arise, as Andrien is trying to cover up being pregnant and Vincent is trying to hide a steroid addiction becuase of his failing physique, both of them are unable to attain the standards of archetypal masculinity they think they need to prove themselves to each other and possibly the rest of the workers at the fire station.

There is a poignant scene when the two dance together, this is the first time they've both been able to loosen up and leads to them fighting but then later bonding more than they had before.

Vincent is still however unable to come to terms with Adriennes femininity as she tries to start pushing the boundaries of who Adrienne is, dancing at one of the fireman's parties like she did when she was a stripper.

She realises this damages Vincent as he still wants her to be his son but it comes to the point where she is about to give birth for him to fully accept the reality of the situation delivering her half car baby.

I think some of the main themes of the film revolve around gender roles, emotional denial, Alexa at the beginning of the film is already subverting the concept of the female being the victim as she pries not only on the men who come to see her shows but also anyone she crosses paths with almost as if killing has become a compulsion for her.

Her love of cars is a symptom of her being unable to make a real emotional connection with anyone, as a psychopath she can only connect with lifeless machines.

It takes her having to pretend to be someone else to make a connection with someone, a father figure who can replace the emotional absence of her real father.

However she is fighting between being human living as someone else and her pregnancy with something unhuman which is constantly threatening her identity.

Overall I thought the film was excellent, it dealt with its subject matter in a way which did not give to much of the literal intentions of the narrative away, but still have enough to keep the viewer interested.

However part of the reasons why I rate this film so highly is becuase there's very little like this around at the moment so it gets most of its merits from originality and not from plotting or filmmaking which is more mediocre than it should be.

The most digustingly beautiful film ever made

[hunter-friesen · 7/10 · 17 September 2021]

*Watched at Cannes 2021*

Containing some of the most disgusting and in-your-face grisliness that has ever graced the silver screen, Julia Ducournau's "Titane" holds you like a vice grip from minute one, refusing to let you go no matter how much you squirm. The experience of watching the film can borderline on torture, as violent punishment is enacted in ways that can only be seen to believe. The screening of the film at the Cannes Film Festival resulted in several walkouts within the first fifteen minutes, of which I do not blame certain viewers who are squeamish. Those that can stomach the film will be rewarded with an exhilarating story about acceptance and companionship told by one of the most original emerging filmmakers.

A newcomer to the film scene, the French auteur (a status she has achieved in my books) Julia Ducournau is the complete opposite of the stereotype of the woman director. She made her debut feature in 2016 with "Raw," a story about womanhood and repression that just so happened to contain the element of cannibalism. Like David Lynch and David Cronenberg, Ducournau confidently confounded her audiences with her bold take on a story as old as cinema itself. "Titane" is proof that "Raw" was not a stroke of beginner's luck and that she is the real deal.

Translated from the French word for titanium, "Titane" follows the life of Alexia, who immediately causes a severe car crash within her first few minutes on screen. This leaves the girl with a metal plate implanted within her head (which is gruesomely illustrated) and a twisted attraction to the vehicle involved in the accident. Like the characters within Cronenberg's "Crash," Alexia can't seem to help herself from being allured by vehicular and sexual violence.

After physically recovering from her injuries over the years, Alexia (now played by the self-assured newcomer Agathe Rousselle) now works as an exotic dancer at a car show (very fitting). Through a nearly seven-minute long take, Ducournau traverses the show filled with neon lighting and an electric score. Cinematographer Ruben Impens, reteaming with Ducournau after "Raw," shoots the film in harshly contrasting light, often blinding the viewer with lens flares. From this car show, Alexia quickly succumbs to her violent tendencies, forcing her to go on the run, but not without horrifically mangling her face so it would be harder to identify her. This brings her in contact with the local fire chief (a steroid-infused Vincent Lindon), who later turns out to be just as demented as she is, making them a match made in hell.

Throughout several instances within "Titane," audiences have to give themselves over to Ducournau's vision and accept the logical fallacies, which nitpickers could have a field day with. To be fair, a literal Cadillac becomes sexually involved with a human in the first fifteen minutes, so the laws of reality (and anatomy) were thrown out the window from the get-go.

Like "Raw," Ducournau is able to relay a positive message that sticks with you just as much as the gore. Through their interactions, Alexia and the chief find a common emotional ground that brings them together through both lies and deceit.

However, a problem that occasionally appears is what exactly Ducournau wants you to feel as too many elements come crashing together at odd times. The film wants you to focus on several different storylines at the same time, some of which don't amount to much and could be classified as red herrings. Still, once you cut through the clutter, there's enough treasure to reward your patience.

"Titane" requires a lot from the viewer, such as mental fortitude and an iron gut. It's an uncompromising vision that bites off more than it can chew from time to time but still sticks the landing due to the duo performances from Rousselle and Lindon, and the boldness by Ducournau to go where no one would dare. Just make sure to watch it on an empty stomach.

weird and confusing. Why was this the 2021 Palm D'or winner?

[surfisfun · 5/10 · 21 October 2021]

Well, lots of female nudity.

Unlike Grave, a movie i like a lot with it story that make sense in it own logic, this one didnt connect wt me.

I am surprise at the high score on imdb for this one.

Again, i would recommend you watch Grave first. Maybe Titane will be appreciate better by female audience as the director/writer also is.

Like a revewer said, the ridiculous dancing scene without the belly prostetic is done without care.

I have see many movies in horror genre, some done much better story and execution wise. This is should not be a Palm D'or level winner as a product, maybe as a booster for it director and recognition to Vincent Lindon .

more Cronenberg than David Cronenberg

[dromasca · 8/10 · 11 March 2022]

'Titane', the film written and made in 2021 by Julia Ducournau is a shocking movie. While writing this sentence, I am also surprised to think if anything can still be considered shocking compared to what we see in the news these days. What is perhaps shocking is that this film, so extreme, so strange in many of its thematic elements, so graphic in its violence, did receive last year's 'Palme d'Or' at Cannes. (Full disclosure, it was also nominated for the unofficial Queer Palm Award for LGBT-themed films.) Actually, the decision of the jury may be more reasonable than it seems. 'Titane' is an extraordinarily well-made film, a film that proposes a combination of exciting actual topics, a magnetic film that you can't break away from while watching if you survived the first ten minutes. Some movie fans will give up watching the first or second tough scene, but those who resist will not regret it. It's hard to believe that Julia Ducournau is only at her second feature film. Among the directors who propose feminine and feminist themes, she already occupies her place, coming from the perspective of extreme films.

'Titane' begins as a family drama combined with a science fiction movie. A little girl named Alexia is harassing her father while he is driving on the highway and a traffic accident occurs. She is injured at her had and undergoes a titanium implant. After leaving the hospital, she hugs the car. Flash-forward. 15-20 years have passed. Alexia has become an eccentric young woman with a passion for cars. She sells them performing exotic dances, even has sex with a car (a grotesque scene) and gets pregnant (!). In her private life , she is a serial killer. When the police gets close, she changes her face (another scene you will hardly forget) and adopts the identity of a a young man, Vincent's son, the head of a fire station, who has disappeared for ten years. The disguise is imperfect, but the aging man, who has his own problems, wants more than anything to believe that the effeminate and strange young man who does not say a word is the lost son. Alexia and Vincent seem to come from two different worlds. A special and strange relationship is created between them, special and strange like everything we see in this movie.

Titane' gives me another confirmation that quality movies can be made in any genre, including extreme movies, sometimes labeled 'trash horror'. The premises seem completely ridiculous, they are of course unrelated to reality or biology. But even these premises contain an acid irony about the passion for cars (and the films that exemplify it) and a reflection of an anguish discussed by experts in future and philosophers as a result of the hybridization of the human body, which is becoming more and more common, with prostheses and artificial implants aimed at repairing the bodies after accidents or even prolonging life. The relationship between Alexia and Vincent tells a lot about trust between people, about frustrated parenting, about machoism, and about accepting those who are different. The interpretations of the two actors in the lead roles are formidable. Vincent Lindon is an actor that I appreciate a lot, including the fact that he chooses very well the roles and the directors he works with. For Agathe Rousselle, the role in 'Titane' is her feature film debut, and her dedication to a difficult role, both physically and psychologically, is remarkable. After such a debut, the expectations can only be high. The make-up with which the actress is 'adorned' also deserves a special mention. What can I say about Julia Ducournau? She wrote and made a different film, a film that proves that she is not afraid to shock, and that she is able to create artistic emotion and please fans of extreme at the same time. 'Titane' has been compared by many to David Cronenberg's films - 'Crash' for the theme of passion for cars, 'Crash' but also others for the audacity to create horror'by mutilating the human body. The truth is that in 'Titane' Julia Ducournau overtook Cronenberg in the field that was his own 25 years ago. It remains to be seen how she will evaluate and how, as a director, she will manage to surpass herself in the next films.

Entertaining

[baywoodarborist · 7/10 · 29 October 2021]

This movie kept me guessing that's for sure. It ended up not making any sense but that's ok because it was a trip. Great filming, great acting, bizarre.

The question remains: why?

[South62 · 1/10 · 25 October 2021]

Ugly, boringly slow and pointless movie. The fact that critics like it is unexplainable. The fact that Ms. Ducournau won Palme d'Or is just sad. This movie is rare example of time wasting. Actors had a hard work and I do not envy them, but to no avail. Mere curiosity kept me watching in searching for an answer what the hell is going on. Is it story about Vincent? About Alexia? Maybe about Adrien? (Who are these people? Character development is very lousy). About cars? About firefighters? Serial killer story? Part of campaign against modern medicine? All of that? Or just nothing?

Critics were obviously naively impressed with something, they thought, must have sense, must be very artistic if it is so radical. No, it must not. It is just a snuff.