Climax (2018)

Climax is a bruising, hallucinatory blend of drama, horror and music about a tight-knit troupe of dancers whose night of rehearsal and celebration in a remote, wintry school turns into a terrifying descent after their communal sangria is drugged. What begins as kinetic, euphoric choreography and close-knit camaraderie gradually unravels into paranoia, psychosis and violence as the group loses control and the night stretches into a fever dream. On screen you’ll see long, immersive takes of rehearsals and an all-night party, punctuated by sudden shifts in tone as the drug’s effects intensify. The film trades conventional narrative for a sensory, almost hypnotic experience: pulsing electronic music and rhythmic movement drive the action while frantic camera work, disorienting edits and raw performances turn joy into dread. The dancers’ physicality becomes both spectacle and weapon, and the boundaries between ecstasy and terror blur. Viewers should expect an intense, often uncomfortable ride — visually striking, loudly scored, and emotionally exhausting. It’s less about solving a mystery and more about being inside an escalating nightmare: a claustrophobic, visceral portrait of group dynamics collapsing under the influence of fear and altered perception. If you go in ready for a challenging, sensory cinematic experience rather than a neat resolution, Climax delivers a powerful, unforgettable shock to the senses.

Actors: Sofia Boutella, Romain Guillermic, Souheila Yacoub

Director: Gaspar Noé

Runtime: 97 min

Genres: Drama, Horror, Music

6.6 /10 69 /100 6.9 /10 6.8 /10