Right out of the gate, I want to tell readers that Irreversible isn't the type of movie one watches for entertainment value, but it is a a film to admire for it's sheer craftsmanship. The fact is, this film is disturbing, thought-provoking and at times, extremely uncomfortable to watch. It's also skillfully executed, so much so that at times, I didn't think I was watching it. I felt like I was in it. To call Irreversible an intimate experience would be an understatement.

This movie has already stirred up big time controversy at several film festivals including Cannes. Yes, Irreversible is a movie that many people will most certainly hate, while others will, no doubt fear it.

First, it should be noted that Irreversible tells it's story in reverse ala Memento. The comparison to the Christopher Nolan thriller stops there. This is an entirely different kind of film. At it's heart, Irreversible is a story of revenge, sex, and violence and these themes are brought to the surface in graphic detail. And while many have already sited the film as pointless, I completely disagree. This movie may be tough to sit through, but it's also poetic in a way, devastatingly painting it's portrait of the fragility of life.

Truth be told, I had no idea what to make of this movie in the first fifteen minutes. Early on, Irreversible features a long sequence shot in real time as two men trek through a dark and dingy sex club. At first, what or who they're after isn't completely apparent. As they make their way through various rooms in the club, we the audience are witness to several acts of strange sexual behavior, but only through brief, obstructed glimpses. Director Gaspar Noe opts for a handheld shooting approach, so those of you that were nauseated by The Blair Witch Project, you'll really feel sick here. The end of the sequence features a killing that is incredibly violent and it certainly sets the tone for what's to follow (or come before it.)

As we make our way towards the beginning of the story, the technical aspects of the picture become more conventional and simple. I bring this up because I know many people who walked out of Moulin Rouge in the first twenty minutes because they found it too dizzying. Irreversible definitely changes pace, but as it progresses, it becomes increasingly more uncomfortable to watch because of revelations that are brought up in each passing scene.

The most painful sequence in the picture involves a rape and it is unlike anything I've ever seen. I remember the first time I saw Deliverance. I found it profoundly disturbing. This is far more graphic but I certainly don't want to give the impression that it's gratuitous. It serves a purpose, be it a tough and brutal one. This sequence was so incredibly uncomfortable to watch, that many audience members walked out. I found myself covering my eyes several times throughout the nine minute scene. Where these brilliant actors had to go to get to this deep, dark place, is beyond me?

Mr. Noe is an amazing talent bringing obvious shades of Kubrick to his strong storytelling technique. Surely he will be condemned by audiences who are unable to stomach such a visual and mental assault. For me, this movie was much deeper than some are giving it credit for. Not once did I feel that any of the violence in this picture was there for mere shock value. It is shocking to be sure, but the violence always serves a purpose. It moves the story along rather than becoming the story.

Irreversible is a stunning achievement. It's ferocious, risky, bold, well executed, and incredibly well acted. While it's a film that will certainly disgust some people with it's bleak and cynical look at the world, I want to urge those people to read between the lines. This is one of the most intimate and devastating films I've ever seen.

Why sit through a movie like this? Because as shocking as it is, it's also quite life affirming. Irreversible shook me to my very soul. And I doubt that I'll ever quite get it out of my head.