Anyone who liked this film is sick in the head.

I've seen my fair shair of 'shocking' films in the past. Hell, I even owned 'Cannibal Holocaust' on VHS at one point. Big deal. Lars Von Trier's 'Antichrist' however, I can't quite figure out. Stars Willem Defoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg ('The Science of Sleep') are both established and respected performers. So, why on earth have they risked their careers on such a pompous piece of European smut?

Somehow, this garbage got nominated for the Golden Palm at Cannes in 2009, which for me is comparitive to 'Freddie Got Fingered' being shortlisted for Best Picture. I can see it now, a gang of arty farty continental film critics somehow finding good in what I can only describe as artful torture porn.

Presumably, this is a social commentary focusing on post-natal depression and confused sexuality. I guess. What happens when you are post-natally depressed, probably a lesbian and all mixed up in Paganism and witchcraft? Well, apparently it means that you let your toddler plummet to their death while you screw Willem Dafoe (graphically), and then take him to the forest to screw some more, perhaps make him ejaculate blood while he's unconscious and snip off your clitoris with rusty scissors. Of course, all of this is shown by way of extreme close-ups and unneccesary slow motion. Give me a break.

'Antichrist' is such a mess that it's near impossible to follow. Between the graphic intercourse and sexual violence, there is apparently meant to be some sort of plot. I found though that rather than a tangable story, the film's focus was on the use of infantile shock tactics. Blood and penises not enough for you? Why not throw in a rotting fox knawing away at it's own flesh, pointlessly mouthing the words 'chaos reigns' to round off the second chapter? Everybody loves dying animals with their angry sex, don't they? If you asked Lars Von Trier himself just what the fudge this film is all about, what it means, what the point is, I don't think even he would be able to tell you. The film has its moments which are both visually impacting and genuinely (psychologically) scary, but if you can't indentify with the scene or the characters in it, these qualities go to waste.

This is a self indulgent, contrived and simply disgusting film that has no right recieving praise from anyone. Sorry our pitiful little brains don't work like yours, Lars Von Trier. Watch at your own peril, seriously.