High-Rise reviewed by Mark Kermode

Mark Kermode reviews High-Rise. A community living in a tower block begins to crumble as the poorer residents on the lower floors revolt against the rich living at the top.
Please tell us what you think of the film -- or Mark’s review of the film - below. We love to include your views on the show every Friday.
www.bbc.co.uk/5...
Fridays at 2pm on BBC 5 live.

[@lostteen08]

I agree with a lot of the comments here. The film started out strong, and then became a bit pointless. I get what the film was going for but I just found myself unmotivated to root for any of the characters. The score is wonderful though, one of the few positives. Snowpiercer (2013) is a far superior film that discusses class distinctions within a dystopian microcosm.

[@hollyweston2713]

tedious, frustrating yet also intriguing film to watch , must watch if you want to waste two hours of your life and then not stop thinking about its meaning afterwards.

[@mikewallis2987]

Correct,madam.

[@sineadsmithh]

Left the cinema disappointed with this one. Don't know what people are seeing in it.

[@Gargleon]

+Sinead Smith That's the way I feel every time I see a Wheatley film.

[@GurdeepSinghDyal]

Sinead Smith +1

[@-HRH]

This film was more about the collapse of enjoyment than the collapse of society.

[@msj123variety]

lol

[@-HRH]

***** They certainly had more fun than I had watching them.

[@stuartmacleod8231]

the whole thing was just a kids party, that got out of hand

[@Taporeee]

+Stuart Macleod (Steerpikey) Yep. Too much sugar for the littl'uns

[@kinkokinko]

Saw this today and was very disappointed, being a fan of Wheatleys previous work. It's a hot mess of a film with no clear motivation for the narrative and an uneven tone (not in a good way) looks great tho

[@ethanhughes7462]

Completely agree great premise, stunning visuals but it just felt like the story was mishandled

[@adb2u]

This was a metaphorical movie. To have a grasp of its premise one would need to be aware of the power of the elite rich, globalism, and a bit of the occult. To me the movie is about what the rich will do to maintain their power as the world crumbles and who their power comes from. When we are about to be introduced to the Architect we are shown his dining room with a huge painting of people kneeling in reverence to a goat headed figure (the devil) which Tom Hiddlestone replies that he thought it belonged in a museum. Then as Tom starts to walk outside in the garden he is IMMEDIATELY greeted by a live goat. It is then that we first meet the Architect (Jeremy Irons) dressed in white in a white room. Also keep in mind that the Architect in the Matrix movies was dressed in white in a white room and he represented the pinnacle of evil as well. Anyway as the movie goes on we here Jeremy Irons round table refer to themselves as the United Nations and use the term Geneva Convention when they speak in regards to making decisions for the lower level people ( the middle class stuck in debt). This is an illusion to the global elite who run the world through their hierarchy of power and crony capitalism. Luke Evans character represents the "truth" or conspiracy theorists who seek to expose the corruption of the global elite but their plan is to silence him by lobotomizing him. HE kills the Architect but is soon killed himself by the women...I wonder if the women represented witches. You see witches are always keen worshipers of the devil and were always his most viable servants. The devil started with Eve you know. As a matter of fact I believe that in the painting with the goat figure that the majority of those around the devil were witches. Then at the end we have Tom Hiddlestone's character seem to take the place of the Architect as he is seen embracing the painting and lying underneath it with the illegitimate child of the Architect's mother. This seems to have been the plan of the Architect all along as he took Dr. Laing under his wing from the beginning. Laing seemed to become possessed or crossed over to the dark side once he started painting his apartment with all seeing eyes. There is a lot of loaded symbolism and I am sure I missed some other things but it was a very interesting movie. The metaphors are spot on for this evil world we live in.

[@ninakamenic3679]

I think your analysis is excellent, I also noticed some of this symbolism, especially the painting, the goat, and the all-seeing eye. However, I didn't enjoy the movie, I found it very dull after the first 20-30 mins. I only continued watching because I could tell it was all about symbolism, but as it lacked any other substance, I wasn't able to finish it cause I just got way too bored. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, though, I haven't found many other points of view that have even remotely touched on what you explained here.

[@vernonallen3370]

Reminded me a lot of Lindsey Anderson’s Oh Lucky Man, Kubrick’s Clockwork orange and Fuerst’s Final Program rolled into one.

[@TheRealSwedishChef]

After reading the book, I knew I had to go and see this. Aside from some changes (the absence of Laing's sister being a major one) the story is mostly the same. Loved the film. Beautiful visuals. Great acting all round, especially from Hiddleston and Irons. Clint Mansell provides a quirky-yet-sinister score. Not quite sure why this is so divisive.

[@mueford]

I was told the book explained why people didn't just leave ??? Help

[@positronicfeed]

Strangely, when I first read the book 20 or so years ago, Andrew Lincoln popped into my head as Laing.

[@CS-mo7xp]

"did you see kill list... I said you really have to see this because it's very very disturbing" "no" classic mayo!

[@onegathers]

+maniq minah Yes, Mayo's monosyllabic minimalist mirth at its most magnificent. Or not. Depends on taste, really.

[@CS-mo7xp]

onegathers I am firmly in the pro-camp.

[@onegathers]

maniq minah Then Mayo has an admirer! If you do decide to hold a meeting of all similar Mayo fans, best book a small venue. A phone box should be about the right capacity.

[@LiloEmyoung]

onegathers, You think most people are idiots ?!

[@onegathers]

I have internet access to social media. I KNOW they are.

[@GiantSandles]

I liked the first 20 minutes or so, from then on it was just horribly unpleasant, like all the worst parts of Wolf of Wall Street and then some. I get what they were going for and there were parts of it that were good but overall it didn't appeal to me at all. I'm also not quite sure why they wouldn't just leave the building

[@IsaacJDean]

+GiantSandles That's a huge problem with the film. It didn't capture that feeling of getting lost in the building mentality. It also kept verbally explaining things (literally whole paragraphs from the book) instead of showing those things.

[@keeperofthecheese]

+GiantSandles perfectly sums up the film.

[@selinabegum4418]

+GiantSandles I agree. It seemed to be missing the humour from the novel. It was just terribly decadent, and the bit with Laing stripping/drilling the skull was almost unbearable. However much style/beautiful people it had in it, it still didn't take away the bland humdrum excess. Just my POV

[@gingerindian1141]

+GiantSandles wolf of wallstreet is a classic. a brilliant movie.

[@marblerye123]

Really? That bloated overlong mess? Not even in scorsese's top 10 for me. And I also agree with the original comment. This movie started well (really enjoyed the first 30 minutes) but got gradually more and more annoying and aimless as it went on

[@rockinchimp]

Again, another film I really want to see that isn't being shown at a cinema near me. Can watch utter rubbish like Norm of the North or Grimsby though, oh joy...

[@rockinchimp]

GiRayne I feel your pain.

[@Onmysheet]

My local Odeon is screening it. Surprisingly!

[@rockinchimp]

Onmysheet Lucky.

[@markxist]

+rockinchimp me niether - and its one of my all time top 5 favourite books

[@bbkingzor]

+rockinchimp Yet another reason Piracy is alive and well.

[@dariusasghari]

Just saw it. Darkly comic and a real visual treat.

[@davidsteel8324]

Saw it tonight. Left the cinema in a daze. Huddleston is terrific. Wheatley is a genius.

[@bellkeliane5601]

The movie kind of reminded of cronenberg’s shivers in that it too took place in a high-rise.

[@andyg9835]

I’ve been waiting for this film since it was announced two years ago and was happy to find that it didn’t disappoint. Amy Jump and Ben Wheatley are probably the perfect team to adapt J G Ballard, producing a film that is as savagely humorous and satirist as its source. If I were being picky then I could say that I felt the second act sagged a little, but the film certainly came roaring back. I can fully understand this not being everyone’s idea of good entertainment (I saw one couple walked out on it), but if you like off-beat English quality quirkiness that borders on being apocalyptically sci-fi, then this is a must see. 4/5

[@kmanpilkers]

I'm on the side of those that just didn't enjoy this and was even bored towards the end. That's not to say there is no appeal: it looks beautiful but it felt completely empty. Seems to think it's a lot more intelligent than it is.

[@junoblade1015]

I loved the film as well and I'm a big fan of ben Wheatley , it is a marmite film,you either love or hate it.

[@mikewallis2987]

I love people who hate marmite; but love nutella..though i personally like neither.

[@maxbrownmedias]

I hear a lot of bad reviews and quotes if u will on this film I'm 13 and went to watch this not expected anything too much and I thought it was fantastic and gripping slow in parts but merely to add emotion to a scene I'd recommend it to anyone and I'm reading the book now !!!!

[@LiloEmyoung]

Max Brown, You gave me back hope, that the world we're living in is indeed not going to be like what's depicted in High Rise! For a 13 year old to be more perceptive than half the "adults" commenting around here, it is really a refreshing breath of air! Don't want to sound patronizing, but encouraging, please keep being a cinephile, keep watching controversial movies, and keep reading, you are definitely one of the few your age, kudos to you :)

[@LiloEmyoung]

Max Brown, "I, Daniel Blake" won Best film, and best Director if I am not mistaken. Yes we will always find that films won't appeal to everyone. Even the best of them will still be "bad" for some. But to each their opinions I suppose. The important is that we keep an open-mind, try to learn as much as we can, and listen to our heart and mind, when art in all its forms is concerned. You are an old soul, and that is rare, God bless you :)

[@podfunk]

As a longtime Ballardian I simply cannot wait! If you want a flavour of Ballard's deep psychic surrealism in the meantime, check out "Home" on KZbin, a BBC adaptation of the Ballard short story "The Enormous Space".

[@zoomusicboy138]

Anyone know that song playing in the supermarket scene with the dog owner?

[@wn7854]

Do you mean the Riesling scene in the supermarket? I love that music too..its 'Co Co Pino' by D.A.F :)

[@wn7854]

Do you mean the Riesling scene in the supermarket? I love that music too..its 'Co Co Pino' by D.A.F :)

[@_Azagoth_]

well, 'High Rise', the novel, wasn't about class per se, at least not in a typical sense, but about investigating the psychological ramifications of extreme urbanisation, which Ballard correctly prophesized as regressing human societies into a state of detached animalism

[@thehypebear]

I always felt like the children and the dogs represented the working class.

[@PauLtus_B]

Another movie I'd like to see and doesn't even seem to be released in this country.

[@Jack-mp9yg]

+PauLtus B lucky you its awful

[@BreezyE-d3n]

+PauLtus B I watched it just now on put locker, brilliant! You need a brain and a soul to enjoy it.

[@PauLtus_B]

Ed Lake I should probably start looking for it.

[@msj123variety]

I tried ......

[@yebo56]

As a general rule, a film with Clint Mansell score is def worth watching. But can someone explain the Zardoz references to me please please?

[@headshotmatty1]

I saw the film with a friend last night and to our surprise we were the only ones in this particular showing, which brought out our inner school boy mischievous behavior .We agreed that the film was absolute bonkers , with a great performances and visual style. However we concluded that if we were unable to second guess the film and make of the cuff remarks in attempt to keep us sane , we would have not enjoyed the movie at all. P.S Disappointed that Pierce Brosan didn't make a cameo when SOS was played.

[@skyway73]

Only a handful of people in the screen when we watched it today, 1 couple left halfway through and a chap in our row let out a loud snore which woke him up and made all us viewers giggle. Probably the strangest film I've ever seen, can't say it was enjoyable. Apart from Tom's performance and all the beautifully retro motors.

[@Krymefighter]

+skyway73 I saw the film on Saturday night, and my experience was similar. 8 people In the whole theater, two got up and left about 3/4 the way through. Definitely one of the most bizarre films I have ever seen, particularly the final third.

[@eustacequinlank7418]

Richard Stanley is a name I haven't heard in quite a while. I liked the story of him being in costume lurking around the set of The Island of Dr. Moreau after he was fired. Brando liked him apparently. I enjoyed Hardware too, not a bad film and I read a while back he was trying to get a sequel made.

[@Vortice_Mortale]

Name of the song at the 2 minute mark?

[@rodserling-u2q]

+Daniel Stangl actually sorry its "Sundance Chant"

[@ntube7]

Can't believe my local Cineworld (Rochester) isn't showing this! It's my most anticipated film of the year so far, being a fan of Wheatley's previous work

[@ImmortalElfchild]

they're not showing it anywhere in Cornwall either, its not good!

[@FiliJohn]

I think it was a f**cked up movie.

[@Spideysense12]

The description sounds like Snowpiercer mixed with The Raid

[@JoeHoweLikesCustard]

Lol

[@markxist]

+vlo12 its worth pointing out though that it's not really like those and that JG Ballard wrote his brilliant novel in the 70s

[@Infametheus]

Or those movies were heavily influenced by the High Rise book.

[@TheMoviePlanet]

+vlo12 As this isn't any sort of action film, no.

[@subroy7123]

+Infametheus I know this is an old post, but Snowpiercer wasn't influenced by High-Rise. It's based on the graphic novel Le Transperceneige by Jacques Lob.

[@alextromagnetic]

Seen this movie twice now and I adored it both time. Utter masterpiece.

[@fatalis6408]

Really why for the symbolism?

[@Infametheus]

Just saw this, it was a good dark comedy. Nice visuals. Cant wait to see your review on Green Room, Mark.

[@danilocampusano5473]

Theory is that there in a mental prison, and than they notice that the guards aern't doing anything with the leftovers, electricity, sluaghters, etc.

[@Onmysheet]

Why wasn't this aired on 5 Live?

[@number94]

+Onmysheet Some horses racing somewhere I believe.

[@Onmysheet]

number94 Yeah I noticed. Was it on a different station?

[@affalaffaa]

+Onmysheet It was, at 12.00. Just for an hour though, for reasons stated by number94

[@Onmysheet]

affalaffaa Oh right. No wonder I missed it. lol

[@ntube7]

Cheltenham horse racing took precedence.

[@bookitty6378]

I liked this movie very much. Far from the norm in a very good way. If you’re sick of guns, zombies and vampires this movie brought creativity back to the screen 👍🏻👍🏻

[@mojosbigsticks]

Oh, I didn't know it was by the 'Sightseers' guy. Now I have to see it.

[@stevehunt7087]

A movie whereby high society, given the opportunity, eats itself.

[@thehitherto5348]

I have no knowledge of Ballard's work and didn't like Crash that much, but I'll watch it if I get the chance (which I most likely won't).

[@ntube7]

Well I saw High Rise over the weekend and personally I much preferred Crash!

[@ethanhughes7462]

It was very visually stunning but it just skipped over the more interesting aspects of the change in the societal norms. Stylistically I thought it was great but narrative wise the story it told was just lost in a bad visual display. I do wish that it could have been more of a longer experience to further expand the narrative. It has a great premise but sadly the mishandled story could not save the overall impact that the film provides.

[@skstan1965]

It follows Ballard, yet why does he make out as if it is just a film?

[@JacubanGecko]

I thought it was very much like a an egoist criticism of a Platonic or rigid class society - eg at the start everyone is more obsessed with who does what job or who lives on which floor than what people are called, for instance, Royal makes a comment to Laing where he talks of him shagging number 2316 (or whichever number her room was), clearly indicating they are thought of as class members not individuals. As the film goes on, we see the upper class come to blows and struggle to maintain their positions as people simply do as they wish - first with Wilder's invasion of the pool, then through the chaotic violence and sex, culminating with the murder of Royal at the end. The film finishes with Laing simply embracing it, and the outro (which as much as I dislike Thatcherism) ends with a clearly egoist nod about state vs free enterprise, a contempory piece of speech from that time period discussed. These aspects to the film I really enjoyed, however I feel the viewer is kept in confusion for perhaps too much of the film.

[@chrislewis7]

Saw this tonight. Can't say I enjoyed it but it was very interesting. Many in the cinema didn't like it. More people walked out than I've ever seen for any film. Maybe a third walked out.

[@dkstvc44]

+Chris Lewis Same thing happened in the cinema I went to. Turns out the Chelsea folks in Fulham Road couldn't quite stomach it...

[@chrishinsdale]

wow, it's Grenfell.

[@hudldevice1092]

😂 Barbecues on the fourth floor.

[@keeperofthecheese]

Pretty terrible. Good acting - good cast. The story was crushed and the moral story was virtually destroyed.

[@divinuminfernum]

i come away from the film with much to mull over, - its possible to interpret the film in several ways. some see it as a metaphor for society and it is a bit, but it isnt really total in its representation of society - it seems more a "utopia" based on some of the neo-liberal ideas that would come into play with thatcher - its an experiment like Pinochet or something. The fact that really it is all just being done without any legal bases existent at all are made clear in how Royal keeps the external authorities at bay - neoliberal, Milton Friedman, Hayek etc beliefs that capitalism will work better without the state existing at all, when in reality if you take away the state then the very legal bases for capitalism go with it and without any means to compel infrastructure to be maintained or for disputes between parties to be settled, this all goes to pot really and it becomes might makes right and people just all descending into their own broken lives and forming bizarre superstitions, phantasised systems and rationales out of it,

[@carnivalecretins853]

Not seen yet, but I love Zardoz

[@SnabbKassa]

Paradise Towers (did it)

[@johnpinion8033]

They should redo this again, this time with the residents living in Millennial Tower.😂

[@chrisjohnson3431]

Ben Wheatley is right, ZARDOZ is a masterpiece.

[@Warp75]

The Gun is good the Penis is evil!! Think John Boorman must of been high at the time

[@Warp75]

+Donald McKinney Brewster is a top film. Can't really go wrong with Altman in the 70's

[@Warp75]

+Hanniffy Dinn I've got a Italian version DVD of Quintet somewhere. Bibi Andersson is great

[@malvikabaru]

Honestly, Hiddleston couldn't have been more poorly directed as we as the progression in this movie. Absurdity and dystopia are challenging genres in literature and Wheatley was simply unable to do justice to this one. Such a disappointment!

[@connorveach5986]

i swear he reviewed this months ago

[@zombiehaiku7527]

I love Zardoz!

[@MrChowbaby69]

This is start of the judge dress universe....

[@bigman7856]

interesting film, but no suspension of disbelief. "artsy" films will either fly or flop based on whether they can let someone understand the world it is set in and the reasons for what's going on. Even if it is fantastical and nonsensical in nature, there has to be a basic logic to it.

[@shashankjari]

Masterpiece review for masterpiece movie........🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@artprofile3866]

This is the true ABBA tribute film

[@amugsgame9936]

This review by Kermode clearly shows what a biased reviewer he is! Why does he like that the film has provoked such antagonistic responses to it?? I mean 'Synecdoche , New York' provoked similarly antagonistic responses and he wasn't singing its praises for having that quality!!

[@girlspooptoo8567]

Super Cycler Synecdoche is my favorite film The Master is a close second

[@gezblair]

It was certainly striking. But not that engaging. Wouldn't rush to see it again.

[@mshioty]

The disappointing new adaptation of J.G. Ballard Cronenberg's Shivers is so much better than Ben Wheatley.

[@athaliahgrunburg8574]

worst film i went to see this year

[@suttree3233]

is that a mugshot?

[@suttree3233]

k

[@MrMmnngghh]

ooohhhh, edgy! So you didn't get to "The Emoji Movie" then?!

[@morganhames]

Good visuals, weird atmosphere, but a crap film. Nothing really connects, things just happen for some reason. It was disturbing but disappointing. The idea was good but it was executed badly and left me thinking: what a waste of time. 2/10

[@maxinehayes7721]

While watching, I really felt that it was a shame that it wasn't made in the 70s, because it certainly lacked that edge, and that raw quality that you get with 70s film. Films today, always appear too polished, this was certainly lacking in grit. I was disappointed.

[@mikesmith94]

3 years on and this is still the worst film I’ve ever seen

[@sammygirlie345]

know your place be a shoe

[@zachthezombie]

2nd

[@d.alexander6584]

1st

[@NoWorries97]

+D. Alexander nice

[@notabot835]

+D. Alexander have a cookie

[@MooMoo-sj2zg]

The book was bad and so was the film

[@JohnMackeyIII]

It was horrible!!! Doubly horrible!

[@fat.cat.]

liked the score and the visuals, but overall it was a bad film with no coherent storyline. disagree with kermode entirely.

[@jonijohnston1688]

Have you seen "The Lobster"? High Rise couldn't be any worse...don't waste your time on the lobster

[@CharmyF1]

The Lobster was absolutely genius. Fantastic movie.

[@bigman7856]

The lobster was fine. It had consistent logic and explained itself.

[@hugodrax71]

an absolute mess of a film

[@kingsleyakpan6616]

Worst movie ever

[@vincent741]

this movie is so bad

[@kikibooboos]

Yet another disappointing Hiddlestone film. Crimson Peak was woeful. Just cannot take to him.

[@CharmyF1]

Have you seen The Night Manager? It is the perfect role for him.

[@generalprice5230]

The movie was a stupid waist of money... Just stupid.

[@eivom1]

Terrible film