Titane Review

In the past few years, the actual month of October has had a dearth of interesting theatrical horror releases. This year seems poised to change all of that, with several interesting titles slated for screening, such as Edgar Wright’s Last Night in Soho, the newest installment in the seminal Halloween franchise, Halloween Kills, and, of course, Julia Ducournau’s festival-dominating tour-de-force Titane.

Titane is a film I’ve been excited about ever since first hearing about it. It won the Palme D’Or at Cannes Film Festival in a shocking and controversial decision that generated plnety of excitement and intrigue. Even first glimpsing the vibrant, atmospheric colors of the poster made me want to see it, and knowing the pedigree behind it made me all the more intrigued. Julia Ducournau’s previous feature, the controversial cannibal coming-of-age drama Raw, isn’t a film that I loved, per say, but it definitely marked the emergence of a fresh and intriguing voice in horror cinema; one that I was interested to follow in the future. Sure enough, Titane knocks it out of the park, improving on nearly everything good that Raw did while forging an identity of its own.

I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that there’s nothing else this year quite like Titane. I’m not even sure how to talk about it meaningfully without giving too much away; and trust me, this is a movie you’d rather go into blind. I’m still upset that I had many of the twists spoiled for me because this film is absolutely wild. Its a narrative that constantly breaks down and reinvents itself, flipping from genre to genre without even breaking a sweat. One scene might be a heartwarming moment between two deeply flawed yet deeply human characters, the next it’ll switch to some of the nastiest body horror you’ve seen. It’s a rapidly swinging pendulum where at one end is a genuinely sweet and wholesome character drama and at the other end are some of the most nauseating images you’ve ever seen. Quite often both exist simultaneously, and yet absolutely none of it feels incoherent. Somehow each is merely a facet of something much larger, something that’s difficult to fit into words but is far greater and more complete than either could be on their own.

I walked out of Titane genuinely not knowing what to say or how I even felt about it, but ever since seeing it I haven’t been able to get it out of my head. I can say that it’s about love, connection, autonomy and identity. It’s about the nature of the self and how it interacts with other people, particularly in the context of gender (seriously this film is really queer and any trans or nonbinary horror buffs have to watch this). It’s about the monsters that the world can turn us into, but it’s also about how monsters are still people with emotions and desires. In an interview about Raw, Ducournau talked about how her signature approach to body horror is inspired by the idea that we don’t truly have autonomy over our bodies, not just in a societal sense but in a physical sense. Our bodies will get sick, go through puberty, develop reactions and run its functions without consulting with us on the matter. Titane takes that idea and pushes it further. To be alive, to be human, is to struggle against the forces that restrict us, be they society, our friends, our family, our lovers, our gender roles, our sexuality, even our very skin. Out of that struggle is rage and violence, but there’s a flip side to it as well. To love someone in any form, to give a part of yourself to someone else is both a voluntary release of autonomy to someone else and also a staunch declaration of self. It can be a violent and scary, but there’s a beauty beyond words and labels to it, and when that person looks at you and sees you as you are and loves you back, the outer skin, comprised of all the labels and boxes you’ve been put in, break away, and all that’s left is you, as you are.

In some ways, Titane absolutely is absolutely a horror film. The suppression of identity, the monster of the id, and the ways in which other people can bend and mold us to their whim can be scary. Not to mention that there are moments of genuine disgust. I have a pretty strong stomach for on screen violence, but this movie genuinely disturbed me at times. In other ways, though, Titane the furthest thing from a horror film. There are scary moments in Titane, there’s plenty of surreal twists and turns, and it can get very intense… but it’s also a stunning, life-affirming portrait of humanity, identity and love. In its absurdity and extremity, it captures the complexity of the human condition in ways few films can hope to match.

It’s also impeccably well crafted. The camerawork, color palette, sound design and lighting all create a believable and immersive world of fire and metal and violence, one that’s full of dangerous energy, but also love and tenderness. It’s somehow sleek and stylish but also raw and gritty all at once. The lead actor is Agathe Rouselle, a first time actor discovered on Instagram and selected by Ducournau based on her appearance, but you absolutely could have fooled me on that. This is an Oscar-worthy performance; Rouselle becomes her character in all of their forms, taking on the fear and the pain and the lust and the desire and the elation and the love the role demands. She switches from fiery and violent to cold and reserved to tender and open on a moment’s notice, and that’s all the more impressive considering the sheer physicality of her performance.

If you end upwatching this film, I highly recommend seeing it in a theater. It’s funny, it’s touching, it’s scary and disgusting, and to experience that whole range of emotions with a group of strangers is an experience that reminded me of why movie theaters are so fun. I had a conversation with people I’d never met on my way out just because we all had thoughts on the movie and wanted to talk about it.

I don’t want to say any more because I already feel like I’ve said too much, but also because I know I’ve been pretty vague and I genuinely don’t want to be more specific. Titane is a hard watch and a disturbing film, and it won’t be for everyone. But I know I’m trying to see it again, and I encourage anyone whom might be interested in this to go see it. It’s worth it.