Elle opens with a black screen and moans of pleasure, followed by an interior scene with a cat glaring for a few seconds.
Poster for the movie `Elle`.
After the rushed first scene, the film’s pace suddenly slackens strangely.
The focus of the story shifts to the life of a 49-year-old divorced woman, rich and the owner of a company specializing in the production of violent and sexual games.
The film is based on the novel `Oh…` by Philippe Djian, published in 2012.
The script doesn’t take much time to identify the rapist.
In Elle’s structure, Michèle appears in every scene while the other characters are just like satellites revolving around her.
Huppert’s ability to smoothly shift psychology brings the audience to every corner of the character naturally, without forcing.
Isabelle Huppert plays the female lead.
At the age of 78, Dutch director Paul Verhoeven is one of the rare filmmakers who still pursues the author’s style, honoring individual creativity rather than following common tastes.
Compared to Basic Instinct – Paul Verhoeven’s most popular film, Elle approaches sensitive topics such as rape and sadism in a more sensitive way.
Elle was praised by critics and marked Verhoeven’s spectacular return to the silver screen.
‘Elle’ – a surprising French film about the theme of sadism
