I’m happy to report that I actually liked Julia Ducournau‘s Alpha after making the long trip to AMC Bay Plaza in The Bronx, where it is having its awards qualifying run this week.
At least some of the mixed reviews out of Cannes must have been due to the sky-high expectations after Titane. This is very much a Ducournau film with a more straightforward narrative than before. Her regular cinematographer Ruben Impens’ striking visuals, and musical choices that include Portishead’s Roads and Nick Cave’s The Mercy Seat accompany the many haunting moments.
Mélissa Boros and Golshifteh Farahani are captivating, but it is Tahar Rahim’s portrayal of the endearingly vulnerable Amin that will stay with me the most.
The makeup and special effects were unique and imaginative. The screenplay is not perfect. What appears to be a continuity issue baffled me, which a subsequent viewing might or might not clarify for me, but I will definitely watch it again.
