High Rise (2016)
Tom Hiddlestone stars as Robert Laing, a well to do doctor who moves into a new state of the art skyscraper, designed as a luxurious solution to the problems of the city. However things soon start to unravel as the electricity goes on the blink and food begins to run out. As the residents break into tribal factions, Laing finds himself in the middle of mounting violence, violence that he also merges into.
Based on JG Ballards 1975 story of the same name, Ben Wheatley's film is the story of the breakdown of society and the class structure to be replaced by primal savagery. The film is violent and very sexual yet totally unerotic. It's definitely sci-fi but quirky with it. A dystopian future set in the 70's.
Perhaps the nearest celluloid work to
High Rise is the 1987
Doctor Who story
Paradise Towers which was also significantly influenced by Ballard's story, although i'm fairly sure Keeley Hawes didn't ride into a top floor penthouse suite on a large white horse, dismount, then ask, nay demand, to be '****ed up the arse' in
Doctor Who. Still there's time. Other comparisons include David Cronenberg's
Shivers although there are no parasites here other than the residents,
High Rise has that same desolate, degenerative feel. Yet it's also devilishly funny with terrific conversations and one liners throughout. Obviously not one liners like Jimmy Carr, this is Ballard we are talking about after all. Amid all the humour there's that constant feeling of unease meaning you wonder to yourself if you should be laughing.
The movie has a bizarre, chaotic energy much like the book that is sometimes hard to follow, again, much like the book. It starts out strong, introducing the various characters and their many idiosyncracies as Wheatley attempts to blend arthouse cinema into the mainstream. The cast is phenomenal. Hiddleston perfect as Laing, looking immaculate as he did in
The Night Manager until the rot sets in. Luke Evans is bizarre as is Jeremy Irons as the architect and the lovely Sienna Miller shines as she did in
Factory Girl. She really has the looks and hair for 60's/ 70's set films.
Unfortunately the film fails to grip. There's so much going on it tends to wash over you in a tidal wave of angst rather than a cohesive story. I have read the book, in the early 90's, so memories of that were useful but the same flaws the book has also feature here in that the idea of the breakdown of society is always there but not an awful lot is done with it. For example why didn't the residents just leave? They had cars parked outside. The film has everyone apparently trapped in an inescapable bubble that doesn't make a lot of sense but if you can get over these issues there's much here to enjoy.
Recommended...but not for all.