Isabella Eklof’s sun drenched drama has been a hit with the critics, but I think it is the sort of film that gives art house cinema a bad name.
Sascha (Victoria Carnen Sonne) a young Danish woman joins her sadistic criminal boyfriend, Michael, and his friends at a holiday villa in Turkey. There are long passages where not a lot happens to this bunch of pretty tedious characters, and then there are flashes of sudden violence, including a protracted nasty rape scene.
If directed by a man, there would certainly be accusations of misogyny. Sascha seems only interested in material things and remains with her brutal boyfriend despite being fully aware of his criminal activities. It as if Eklof is provoking us into saying she deserves what she gets with the way Sascha is portrayed.
Lai Yde does bring a brooding, malevolent presence as Michael, and the film is beautiful to look at, but is pretty empty.
Rating: 4.5 out of 10