Yes, Challengers is that movie where Zendaya supposedly gets into a threesome and then plays some tennis or some shit. If you spent any time online in the past few months you must’ve stumbled upon that clip. You know the one I’m talking about where she’s in the middle and these two fit and horny guys. And then they start kissing her. That’s everything I knew about this movie before I played it late last night. And let me tell you something right away, this is not an erotic thriller with a lot of sex and nudity. To be completely honest, apart from a couple of penises and perfectly sculpted male asses, everyone will remain clothed.
Challengers is an immersive, sexually charged, and quite intriguing movie, a romantic sports dramedy featuring a dreamy atmosphere. What there will be plenty of is these sensually erotic scenes blurring the line between homo and hetero desires into one passionate experience. Something that’s not surprising when we consider the fact that the director is Luca Guadagnino. I have to admit that this is the first movie of his that I actually liked. If you don’t know, he’s the guy behind the 2018 remake of Suspiria. And last year’s cannibal romance Bones and All. His first hit though was Call Me by Your Name, a sensual gay drama also starring Timothée Chalamet.
However, I don’t want you to think that this is something too edgy and artistic. Challengers is a mainstream movie above all, a technical masterpiece featuring stunning and creative camerawork and alluring cinematography. We will spend a lot of time watching intense tennis matches that feel like action scenes from summer blockbusters. On top of that the soundtrack took me completely by surprise. Instead of a classic score we’ll hear hard-pounding techno composed by Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails) and Atticus Ross.
This simple decisions changes everything when it comes to these scenes. It gives them loads of Berlin-hard-techno-party energy and makes them feel refreshing and unique. However, I think that its biggest quality and the reason why you should check it out is the fact that it’s completely removed from anything that’s happening in your life. For 120 minutes you’ll be able to lose yourself in the world of competitive tennis by following three young players with completely different life trajectories.
Patrick is a lovable asshole, the guy who gets all the girls while his friend Art is more grounded and kindhearted. And, of course, we have the charming Tashi played by Zendaya. As you can notice we have a love triangle developing here and that’s all you need to know about the story. I think a lot of people underestimate the value of these escapist experiences like Challengers. If you’re going through a rough patch, like I’m going through right now, this movie will be a refreshing break. It’s going to remind you that there’s so much more to life than that specific thing you’re currently preoccupied with.
The atmosphere is dreamy and since a lot of the story is taking place in the past, it’s also quite nostalgic. Especially if you were, how shall I say this, active during the aughts and 2010s? I’m not going to spend any words praising Zendaya’s performance as you already know it was tight. Josh O’Connor, whom I remember as Prince Charles from The Crown, was excellent but Mike Faist was arguably even better. His character was the most complex one and the one Average Joe could relate to the most. And make no mistake, I did the same thing.
With all of this being said, I know that some of you might not like this movie. It’s a bit longish and the storytelling tends to jump too quickly. We go back and forth in time constantly, sometimes losing the thread of what’s going on and who’s at what stage in their life. Additionally, we don’t get a lot of “formal” background information about our characters. Then again, all of this gives Challengers a dreamy vibe we rarely see in mainstream movies. I am yet to watch Luca’s 2015 movie A Bigger Splash but it seems like it’s quite similar to this one. So, you might want to check it out if you’re looking for more of the same.
Director: Luca Guadagnino
Writer: Justin Kuritzkes
Cast: Mike Faist, Josh O’Connor, Zendaya, A.J. Lister, Darnell Appling, Nada Despotovich
Fun Facts: Zendaya trained for three months with professional tennis coach Brad Gilbert to enhance her performance as a tennis player.
Rating:
IMDb Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16426418/
