Midnight screenings hardly ever come extra becoming than “Child Invasion,” Concord Korine‘s newest experimental, unconventional and video game-like assault on the senses, which had its world premiere on Saturday night time in Venice to an 8.5-minute standing ovation.
The movie served up a provocative array of distinctive visuals: We noticed our closely armed, baby-faced criminals torturing folks, dancing to Burial’s thumping techno rating, chopping up enormous piles of coke and giving the finger whereas sitting on the bathroom.
No matter it’s we witnessed, the gang appeared to lap it up. As soon as the hour and 20 minute film wrapped, cheers erupted from the viewers as Korine danced to the beat that soundtracked the credit. And it didn’t cease there: followers erupted right into a chant of “Concord! Concord! Concord!” because the director waved his arms as if to say, “Extra! Extra! Extra!”
At one level within the movie, one of many many 1000’s of Twitch-style feedback showing in speedy hearth on the left of the display screen learn “this plot deserves an Oscar.” Whereas there are lots of issues “Child Invasion” deserves, an Oscar for its plot might be not one in all them.
Past its first-person shooter visuals, a lot of this “plot” was communicated via voiceover, which Korine mentioned at a press convention was completed by an ASMR aficionado he discovered on OnlyFans. A white rabbit was a central determine within the phrases spoken — maybe a metaphor for the wealthy folks the infant invaders have been robbing, or an indication of excellent luck as they raided their method via mansions and yachts in Florida.
Final yr, Korine left audiences on the Lido in a state of shock and awe — and prompted a number of to stroll out — with “Aggro Dr1ft,” shot solely in infrared and that includes twerking strippers and demonic crime lords shouting: “Dance, bitch!”
However together with his new wild “publish cinema” providing “Child Invasion,” the midnight must-see (for many who dared or, extra to the purpose, might get a ticket) in 2024 was all about infants. Extra particularly, a bunch of mercenaries disguised with child faces who invade mansions of the rich and highly effective.
As soon as once more enjoying out like first-person shooter, the movie was made utilizing AI and online game engines, and contains a rating by Burial.
“‘Child Invasion’ is a brand new ultra-realistic, multiplayer FPS recreation following a bunch of mercenaries utilizing child faces as avatars to hide their id,” reads the official synopsis. “Tasked with coming into mansions of the wealthy and highly effective and leaving nothing behind, gamers should discover each rabbit gap earlier than time runs out.”
The standing ovation for “Child Invasion” might not have matched that of “Aggro Dr1ft” in 2023, which topped 10 minutes, making it — unofficially, at the very least — the competition’s longest. However that movie’s extreme applause might have had one thing to do with its star, rapper Travis Scott, making his first main movie position.
Korine has been coming to Venice since his early years as a filmmaking, screening his directorial debut, “Gummo,” on the fest in 1997. The movie was not properly obtained by critics at first, however later received a particular point out from Venice’s FIPRESCI jury. “Spring Breakers” additionally had its world premiere at Venice in 2012, the place it obtained the Future Movie Pageant Digital Award.