FILM Challengers from Italian director Luca Guadagnino delivers a tense drama from the tennis court. Not only because of the fast-paced music mixed by the duo Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, but also because of the tension of the love triangle drama of tennis players Art Donaldson (Mike Faist), Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor), and Tashi Duncan (Zendaya).
Like a game of tennis where each other returns the ball to the opponent, so is the story of the three of them who are pulled back and forth from the adult level to when they were teenagers when they were still junior tennis players.
The film opens with a match between Art and Patrick. Art, is a top class tennis player with many sponsors behind him. Meanwhile, Patrick is a tennis player who is still struggling at the lower levels and is far from living a comfortable life. Between the two, apart from the net, there was Tashi Duncan who looked tense following the direction of the ball’s movement.
For Art and Patrick, there are things as important as trophies besides winning on the tennis court. Of course love, if you can call it naivety—but also Tashi’s burning passion. Tashi has been a fight between the two of them since they were junior tennis players. At that time, Tashi performed brilliantly at such a young age and already received a giant clothing sponsor.
The “bet” at that time, whoever won the competition between Art and Patrick, had the right to have a relationship with Tashi. Patrick and Tashi then started a relationship. However, in the adult timeline, Tashi started a family and had children with Art.
Armed with a complicated story of complex desires and feelings, Guadagnino carries out the plot of Challengers as a film full of sensual sensations, as well as high-tension romance and sports drama. If Netflix’s Break Point series explores the behind-the-court drama of today’s pro tennis athletes, Challengers provides a more nuanced layer. Who is hurt and what we really want to win may also be part of our relevance as humans.
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One of the most interesting things regarding the film Challengers is actually how Guadagnino encouraged the creative side by packaging several parts of the tennis game in the film into a game mode. Guadagnino gave Guadagnino the perspective of a video game player in the tie break between Art and Patrick. Guadagnino, as if saving this part to be given at the end along with an exploration of visual forms that are not just flat.
Cinematographer Sayombhu Mukdeeprom deserves credit for his cinematographic direction which also helps increase the tension of the film. Especially when the ball is reflected towards the camera which creates a ‘breaking the fourth wall’ effect. The audience seems to be involved in the field, as is the player’s perspective mode provided. Some parts, we are like Patrick or Art and those on the screen, are our avatar models.
It’s a shame that some parts of this film were cut by the censors. Starting from blurred visuals to scenes that are completely removed. A minus to enjoy the full sensuality of Guadagnino’s cinema.
The film Challengers will be shown on the Indonesian cinema network starting April 26 2024.
(Z-9)
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