Titane

Titane

A woman with a metal plate in her head from a childhood car accident embarks on a bizarre journey, bringing her into contact with a firefighter who's reunited with his missing son after 10 years.

  • Released: 2021-07-14
  • Runtime: 108 minutes
  • Genre: Drama, Horror, Thrillers
  • Stars: Vincent Lindon, Agathe Rousselle, Garance Marillier, Laïs Salameh, Mara Cissé, Marin Judas, Diong-Kéba Tacu, Myriem Akheddiou, Bertrand Bonello, Céline Carrère, Adèle Guigue, Thibault Cathalifaud, Dominique Frot, Lamine Cissokho, Florence Janas, Frédéric Jardin, Olivia Venner, Thibault Villette, Nathalie Boyer, Mehdi Rahim-Silvioli, Théo Hellermann, Anaïs Fabre
  • Director: Julia Ducournau
 Comments
  • norbert-plan-618-715813 - 19 April 2024
    Unique, harsh, sensitive souls abstain, but human, that's the film's strength.
    A film about monsters. Where Julia Ducournau succeeds is in linking the different stories together: Agathe Rousselle's peregrinations as a killer, then her escape; her meeting with Vincent Lindon and their life together; then Vincent Lindon's slide into madness (if it wasn't already there), monstrosity or something else.

    Julia Ducournau succeeds in her gamble with an enthralling, dazzling ensemble that blends horror with empathy. After showing her monstrous, empathy-less character, her meeting with Vincent Lindon humanizes her, or so little, but manages to make us empathize, first with Vincent Lindon's character, then with her, as she seems to find some semblance of satisfaction in her relationship with this fireman, lost or mad or under chemical influence, who takes her in (for a reason we won't divulge), but who revives the story.

    The decision to always show from the point of view of Agathe Rousselle's character is the right one. We never see the police searching for her (apart from the spotlight on the TV screen). We're not interested. And everything suggests that the outcome of the story can only be tragic. But for what?

    Julia Ducournau's talent is to have created an unclassifiable, unique film, unprecedented (even by David Cronenberg), a powerful, disturbing work of art brut that doesn't provoke debate (you either love it or hate it), but makes you think. The film's strength lies in the fact that it doesn't explain where the characters come from, and doesn't allow us to guess where they're going. A masterpiece.
  • Stevieboy666 - 13 November 2023
    Strange, violent, shocking and memorable but just falls short of being impressive
    A young girl called Alexia distracts her father whilst he is driving, the car crashes and she has to undergo emergency brain treatment (very gory) which involves having a titanium plate inserted into her head (hence the film's title). Now a young woman she is an exotic dancer at a car show, when left alone with a Cadillac she has sex with the automobile and becomes pregnant! When she attempts to do a self abortion (quite shocking) oil instead of blood comes out of her. She also happens to be a spree killer. On the run she disguises herself as a missing boy, Adrien, and is taken in by the boy's father, a fire chief and steroid user. If you don't speak fluent French or don't like reading subtitles then I suggest you jog on to something else. When shown on TV Titane came with an adults only warning, yes there is plenty of sex, nudity, violence and gore though I have seen stronger stuff. The plot is bizarre though I found it reasonably easy to follow. The movie is well made and the acting is good. I do enjoy extreme French cinema and found this to be an interesting and memorable watch but I think it highly unlikely that I would want to give it a second viewing. My overall opinion was that it was fairly good but not quite good enough.
  • Bored_Dragon - 5 June 2023
    I don't care who you are. You're my son. You'll always be my son. Whoever you are. Is that clear?
    I know that it is customary to start with a short description, which would give the readers at least a rough idea of what the film is about, but I think that, in this case, it would inevitably be a spoiler. I haven't been able to think of any way to avoid spoilers and still make sense of what I write. In addition, I believe that "Titane" is based on unpredictability and shocking scenes and actions of the characters, and that it is best to approach it without any prior knowledge. Because, in my opinion, apart from that, the film has nothing special to offer.

    "Titane" is the second feature film by French screenwriter and director Julia Ducournau. Her debut, "Raw" from 2016, caused controversy and gained enviable popularity. I haven't watched it yet, but I hope it has more substance than this one. It is classified as drama/horror/sci-fi on IMDb. Drama it is, rough, morbid, perverse, and sickening, sci-fi is represented only in the form of one, essentially important, but still only one impossible detail, and I wouldn't say it's horror. It's bizarre, it's sickening for the eyes and the stomach, and a few scenes are really nasty, but neither in form nor in substance is this horror.

    I like crazy, shocking, sick, and completely bizarre movies, if these extremes serve some depth, to better convey and highlight the essence of the story. But here there is no strong story to justify them. As with Marvel, where the constant firework of special effects and adrenaline rollercoaster distract attention from the absence of a quality story, here this effect is achieved with crazy reactions, shocking scenes, and keeping the viewer in a constant state of mesmerized disgust.

    The main role is played by Agathe Rousselle, whom I've never seen before, so I'm not sure if she is unlikable by nature, or if she deliberately caused this effect for this role. However, she nailed the role. It's simply unbelievable how the same person is so repulsive and disgusting that you want them to get off the screen as soon as possible and at the same time the main reason to watch the movie to the end. An Oscar-worthy performance and the only thing really worth it in this film, besides possibly Vincent Lindon. Two great performances in a movie where everything else is mediocre at best.

    6/10.
  • neohouse - 16 October 2022
    Sexual identity problems explained through metaphors
    First of all, film looks excellent from cinematographic and technical POV. Alexia is character who has questions 'bout her sexual orientation. After tryin' mans and womens, she finds her own sexuality in titanium, it means in cars. Then Vincent is an old firefighter and looks pretty exhausted but constantly takes steroid supplements to keep from appearin' weak in order. While he's more masculine when he takes steroids, he looks very hilarious and playful when he doesn't use steroids. Literally film tells us story 'bout how a woman who has problems with her sexuality struggles to survive in the world of mans and, if necessary, changes her appearance and looks like a man. Of course, there are some metaphors in this film, such as having sex with cars and trucks too.
  • avaninaneyra - 14 August 2022
    Not worth the time
    It caused some expectations at the beginning, but only disappointment as the plot went on. It does have some Cronenberg's elements, but treated without his intelligence and subtlety. The Canadian director's films, to which Titane is usually compared, do make you think and trascend what is on screen. In this case you just wonder about the logic behind awards.