#NewsBytesRecommends: 'The Trip' on Netflix—a rollicking ride teeming with surprises
A couple falls out of love and decides to end not their marriage but...each other. Sounds bizarre, right? What sort of a violence-pumping film would that be? I went into the Norwegian film The Trip with no preconceived notions, having been drawn by its inventive (if gruesome) plot, but the film tilts the basic premise on its head, offering two hours of undiluted entertainment.
What is the film all about?
The film is centered around a middle-aged "dysfunctional couple [who] head to a remote cabin to reconnect, but each has intentions to kill the other. Before they can carry out their plans, unexpected visitors arrive, and they face a greater danger," as per IMDb. Celebrated Norwegian director Tommy Wirkola has helmed and co-written the film, which headlined by Noomi Rapace and Aksel Hennie.
There's no dearth of twists in this sharp action-drama
There is hardly a moment in The Trip when the action comedy-drama is not interesting or two steps ahead of the viewers' predictions. Its twists and turns catch you off guard and galvanize the film during moments when it begins to (very) slightly get monotonous. Just when you think you've seen the big reveal, another one unfurls soon and magnifies the movie's amusement quotient.
Curiosity levels keep viewers invested
The couple's plans to murder each other go south too soon when dangerous strangers start creeping inside their home. Suddenly, the movie's direction and the lead characters' overall motivation both switch gears. In turn, as the viewer, you are left in excitement and anticipation of what is coming next and how it will impact the characters—a mark of razor-sharp writing, wit, and powerhouse performances.
Division of sequences into chapters aids overall narrative
The Trip seems to follow a simple, straightforward, linear narrative when it first begins, but it is not too long after that we realize the characters know more than they are letting on. Some of the most instrumental aspects are demonstrated through flashbacks or the division of chapters—it's interesting because these flashbacks are not discernible or known to the characters but only to us.
Can't digest gore? Stay miles away from some sequences
The film has not held back on gruesome, gut-churning violence; it's almost as if the makers intentionally forgot to put a lid on the violence department. If seeing gore makes you sick to the stomach, it would be best to forward a lot of sequences—there are shots of a person's hand being amputated and another one being slaughtered by a lawnmower. Not too pretty.
At less than 2 hours, this is perfect for weekend
I would call The Trip an adrenaline-pumping ride, one whose entertainment quotient remains the same throughout the film, be it its meta opening scene or its clever closing sequence that winks toward the real world. Rapace and Hennie's energy crackles and sparkles on screen—their pairing has a dynamic energy that The Trip confidently skates on. This cracker of a film is streaming on Netflix.
