Grotesque? Yeah, okay Denis, we get it.
You suck. Stop being pretentious.
Denis Villeneuve's short film Next Floor (2008) fails to live up to the high standards set by his later works, leaving much to be desired in both concept and execution. Despite its intriguing premise-where a lavish, overindulgent banquet takes a dark turn-the film feels overly pretentious and heavy-handed in its social commentary.
The slow pacing, though deliberate, becomes tiresome quickly, with the narrative meandering and never quite finding a point. The lack of character development makes it difficult to care about any of the guests, reducing the film to an exercise in visual spectacle rather than an engaging story. While the cinematography is striking, it feels hollow without a compelling emotional core to support it.
The film's tone comes across as unnecessarily grotesque, with the escalating absurdity of the banquet's excess not providing any deeper meaning beyond surface-level shock value. It's a critique of excess, sure, but it's so obvious and exaggerated that it fails to feel relevant or impactful. Ultimately, Next Floor serves as a reminder that even great directors can stumble with their lesser works. While it may offer some eye-catching visuals and a fleeting moment of intrigue, it lacks the resonance and depth that would make it memorable. Villeneuve would go on to refine his talents in later films, but Next Floor is a forgettable misstep in his career.