Review: Vomiting, diarrhea and zombies in "Final cut"

Many eyebrows

were raised when it became clear that a zombie film would be given the glorious task of inaugurating the Cannes Film Festival in 2022, but they fell back into place when it was realized that Michel Hazanavicius was responsible for the script and direction.

He who gifted the world with the stylish and subtle "The artist", an almost entirely silent film about the rise and fall of a silent film star.

When a more serious director takes on a genre film, it usually turns out well (according to Lex Bo Widerberg's "The Man on the Roof"), so here too.

Although "Final cut" is not a zombie film per se, but a comedy about the creation of one.

And sure enough it went home, the premiere cinema writhed in paroxysms of laughter at the same time as the blood, vomit and diarrhea flowed across the screen.

Like the

Oscar jury, Cannes audiences like films about filmmaking, and this is said to be an unofficial world record in meta: A film about a filmmaking of a film about a Japanese b-movie filmmaking.

The film, i.e. the one reviewed here, is also a French remake of a Japanese original - "One cut of the dead".

More than that should not be said about the different layers, much of the retention lies in not knowing the exact circumstances, but rest assured that Hazanavicius makes use of all possible meta-humor, and does so with equal parts initiated industry finesse and crowd-pleasing anal humor.

There's also

a cute little father-daughter relationship that's really negligible, but when it's still there as an enticing sprinkle, it's just as good to lick.

The favorite Romain Duris plays the father, a pragmatic and neurotic commercial and information film director, who is hired by a Japanese producer to take on the above-mentioned recording and who in the process finds his way back to creativity.

Yes, the whole "Final cut" can be seen as a slightly crazy tribute to the creative teamwork which, at best, is the foundation of filmmaking.

"Final cut" actually holds up almost as well on a second viewing, but the aha experience that is the film's main weapon is, for obvious reasons, not as sharp on a second sitting.

However, I am struck by a new, somewhat depressing realization, and this because of the accompanying 17-year-old's reaction.

It is a film that requires a patience that not all screen-addicted teenagers, who are used to receiving immediate need satisfaction, have.

Even before the end of the first act, he whispers: "Can we go now?

This might be the worst movie I've ever seen."

and annoyingly messy.

A really lousy C-movie.

But everything will be explained in the next two acts.

The teenager's verdict afterwards?

“Really good, actually!”

Bonus info: "Final cut" was initially launched under the title "Z" but when the Russian occupiers in Ukraine took the same letter as their logo, the film was given the new title "Coupez!"

- the French directors' equivalent to the Swedish "Bryt!".

"Final cut" is the international title.