Lars's debut novel can be unexpected to such an extent that I didn't expect it in advance. No matter who it steals from or pays homage to, its own accumulation is enough to make people surprised to find that, A director's maturing process doesn't seem to apply to him. The depth of thought of the film is, without exaggeration, comparable to that of The Antichrist. The comparison is made because the symbolism he uses in it is similar: if The Antichrist is an upside-down Bible, Elements of Crime is an upside-down Divine Comedy . The audience will never forget the full or dim yellow or scarlet tones in the film, nor the overflowing water and the pouring blood that seems to never stop, nor the pervasive ravings and chants that erode the soul. Classics, there are countless black burrows and the strange behavior of the people in them. All of this makes one think of the hell that Dante witnessed, the hopeless place full of undead, bathed in purification and eternal fire. And the protagonist's hypnosis recalls the journey back to Europa after 13 years (ah, 13!), which is like a trial of returning to hell from a dream. In contrast, if "The Divine Comedy" is the story of Dante's gradual sublimation under the guidance of his spiritual mentor Virgil and the goddess Beatrice, then this film is a story of Fisher's gradual sublimation under the temptation of his spiritual mentor Osborn and the goddess lyre. The story of depravity, and "The Elements of Crime" is precisely the "Anies" that Fisher revered. The symbols and metaphors in the film not only greatly deepen the depth of the film, but also make people emotional. There is a patio like the entrance of hell to the room, and the white dove, which symbolizes the saved soul, is breaking free; there is also the shepherd on the way, playing Pan's song to attract the soul; there is a boat like crossing the Styx and the angels nearby like the eyes of a child; and bungee jumping, a symbol of both ritual and sin, prisoners who fell from nobility to the sinking, and the policemen and their dogs who punished flogging them. Not to mention prostitutes for whores, cross marks, drowning donkeys and horses, and meaningful wordplay, most impressively Fisher's reasoning of the seventh murder and writing the letters "H", "H" can definitely imply "HARRY", but it can also imply "HELL", and then the two of them said a very memorable dialogue:
-It's not your work. Why can't you leave him to Kramer (Krama)? Kramer (Krama) and his men will get him in Halle (Hell).
-That's the difference between Kramer (Krama) and me. I cannot stop until I understand. I owe it to Osborne (Virgil).
-You leave me (Beatriz ) behind, Harry.
Of course, all of this comes together in a well-thought-out detective story and well-scheduled editing, so it's even more indicative of the intellectual and technical heights the film has reached. The elements of this film are integrated together, and together they constitute the organism of the film, which can be called a masterpiece in Lars' career.
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The Element of Crime reviews
