Twisted rape tale hands power to woman

Actress Alice Isaaz, actor Jonas Bloquet and director Paul Verhoeven during a photo call for the film Elle in Cannes. (Photo: AP)

A twisted rape thriller by Basic Instinct director Paul Verhoeven drew rave reviews on Saturday in Cannes, where it was one of the two films about a woman trying to prise back control from her attacker.

As a psychological rape comedy-thriller, the Dutch director’s latest work Elle had everything to set critics on edge before the screening. But, the story of a powerful woman played by French actress Isabelle Huppert who is assaulted and embarks on a dangerous game with her attacker, was a surprise hit for its portrayal of a woman taking vengeance in her own, unexpected way.

Ms Huppert, 63, who some critics said had delivered the performance of her career, told journalists that it was the fact that her character “does not react in a predictable manner that creates the tension.” “There is a suspense in the character herself because you don’t know exactly what she thinks.” French website L’Express hailed the film and its “perverse ambiguity”, which drew plenty of laughs from the audience.

“One can already hear screams of bloody murder about the unacceptable link between rape and pleasure. It has nothing to do with that,” wrote its critic. The Guardian’s Nigel Smith tweeted that the film was “perverse, hilarious and insanely pleasurable”. The movie is based on the book “Oh...” by Philippe Dijan, who dismissed views that Ms Huppert’s character had fallen in love with her attacker. “She is someone who tries not to obey all the codes of society. She feels this is really her own personal freedom, and that is a bit frightening because she is a woman and people don’t want women to be free,” he said.