Titane, movie (2021)
image © Kazak Productions & Frakas Productions & Arte France Cinéma & VOO
The Titane (2021) is a contemporary fantasy thriller film. The movie was reviewed by Kadmon.
Product: Titane, movie (2021)
Original title: Titane, English title: Titane
Series: -
Setting: fantasy Earth
Product type: Film, Genre: contemporary fantasy thriller, Style: sci-fi, thriller, contemporary fantasy, fantasy
Release: Premiere: 2021.07.13 (Cannes Film Festival), Release: 2021.07.14
Reviewer: Kadmon, Type: Male, 40s, Preferences: Immersive, logical story, consistent setting, prefers surprises to spoilers, prefers establishing elements before referencing them
Watched: very recent (2021.12), first time
Rating: Average (2 out of 3 points), Enjoyment: Weak (2- out of 3 points)
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This is my review of Titane, a fantasy thriller movie from 2021. It's about a girl getting strange urges, getting her into uneasy situations. The Titane film has some interesting parts, but I only recommend it to dedicated fans of the genre.
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Review (spoiler-free) - Titane, movie (2021)
I've heard some news about Titane, when it won some awards. When I've first read about it, it didn't look very exciting. But in a later report, they said it's a disturbing but funny movie. So, when I got the time, I thought to give it a try. I didn't watch the trailer.
The Titane movie is about a girl getting strange urges, getting her into uneasy situations.
The basics of the story would be interesting, but the actual plot doesn't go anywhere. The pacing is mostly consistent. There are no character arcs. There are also no major logical problems.
The cinematography is good. The scenes look interesting visually.
The characters are averagely developed, we get some basics about them, but we don't really get to know them. The actors, however, are good.
The music (by Jim Williams) is good, interesting.
Titane is a strange thriller with fantasy elements, but I think dedicated fans of the thriller genre will enjoy it.
My experience
I wasn't really satisfied with Titane (2021).
Rating: Average (2 out of 3 points). Titane has some good parts, but otherwise it's a mediocre film.
Enjoyment: Weak (2- out of 3 points). Titane seems pointless for me.
Rewatchability: I'm not sure. I think it's mostly the surprise of the story that makes you feel interested.
Chance of watching it again: I don't think so.
Chance of watching a sequel: I'd probably watch it
Titane, movie (2021)
image © Kazak Productions & Frakas Productions & Arte France Cinéma & VOO
Will you enjoy this?
If you like mystery or thriller movies, you might like Titane.
If you like movies that will make you feel uneasy, Titane is not a bad choice.
If you can get through the first half hour of the movie still interested, the rest is similar.
If you enjoyed the Possessor Uncut (2020), you might be interested in this story, it has similarly violent scenes and pointless story.
If you hate subtitles, you should learn French. Otherwise you'll have to wait for an English dub.
If you prefer visuals over story, although there are some nice scenes, overall you might get bored.
If you hate erotic scenes, Titane is not ideal for you.
If self-abortion disturbs you, this movie is probably not for you.
If realistic depictions of violent murders disturb you, you shouldn't watch Titane.
Watching for plot points
If you are interested in modern fantasy or criminal drama stories, I think it's worth watching the Titane movie for the plot points.
Should you watch this on your own screen at home, or is it worth going to the cinema?
The visuals probably look better if you watch it in cinema, but I think the overall experience will be similar.
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Titane, movie (2021)
image © Kazak Productions & Frakas Productions & Arte France Cinéma & VOO
Review with spoilers - Titane, movie (2021)
At 90 minutes, I started to get bored by the Titane movie. The story had an interesting and fast paced start, but then it started to crawl very slowly.
Cover
The cover of the movie is okay, it doesn't say much, but it doesn't spoil the movie.
The trailer
The trailer is okay. I don't think anyone watching the trailer would understand what the movie is about, but it shows us some shots to make things interesting.
Promise of the first scene
We see a kid getting a severe injury. I assume that will get a story about the kid with the treatment goes horribly wrong, or about the adult, how does the injury change his life.
Execution: It's the latter. The girl grows to be a serial killer. I wouldn't have guessed that.
Plot summary / Synopsis
A man drives a car, while a kid is trying to annoy him. The kid takes the seatbelt off, and as the man tries to get the kid to put it back, he crashes the car, and the kid gets seriously injured. The doctors save the kid's life, but they have to put a titanium plate in the kid's head.
Some decades later, while still living with the family, the kid grows to be a woman (Agathe Rousselle as Alexia), who works as an erotic dancer. After a car show, a man tries to force himself on her, so she stabs him in the head, probably killing him. She goes back to take a shower, when she hears loud banging. Still naked, she checks the noise, then has an urge to have sex with a car. The next day, the news report that they've found the new victim of the serial killer (implied to be the woman). There's also a mention of burning house (later events imply that it was also her). They also mention children missing since 10 years.
She feels that she might be pregnant, so she tries to abort herself, unsuccessfully. She gets close to a girl (Garance Marillier as Justine) she works together with. They have sex, than she kills the girl. However, there were more people in the house who find her out, so she attacks them, but two of them escape. She goes home, sets her house on fire, but makes sure first that her parents are closed in their room.
As the police is looking for her, she disguises herself as a man. Reading the reports on the missing kids, she comes up with the idea of giving herself up as the long lost son (Adrian) of a fireman captain. The fireman captain (Vincent Lindon as Vincent), the father of Adrian, a welcomes her, and takes her home. After a fight with the fireman captain, she decides to leave. The fireman captain, (broken by this?), overdoses himself on his drugs. She has a change of mind, and goes back, but by that time the fireman captain is knocked out.
Next day, the fireman captain finds her trying up the clothes of the mother. He shows her that his son used to wear the clothes of his mother.
The woman gets recruited to assist the fireman captain in his daily work. She helps to resuscitate an old woman. Another fireman begins to suspect that she is the wanted serial killer. The mother of the son also shows up.
Her pregnancy is getting worse, when one day, she scratches a hole into her skin. When she tries to hit her belly to kill the baby, suddenly black liquid starts to pour out of her nipples. The mother founds her like this, but she decides not to tell the father, so he'll have some company.
After the suspecting fireman tells the fireman captain his thoughts, he is put in a deadly situation by the captain, where he dies. Then the fireman captain tells the woman that he doesn't care who she is, he'll consider her his son, no matter what. He helps her give birth to her cyborg child, but she seems to die in the process.
The setting
Titane is set on contemporary fantasy Earth, where women can get pregnant by cars after having sex with them.
Titane, movie (2021)
image © Kazak Productions & Frakas Productions & Arte France Cinéma & VOO
The message of the story
I'm not sure there's one. "Avoid having sex with cars"? "If you are a serial killer, don't leave witnesses alive"?
The structure of the story
The scenes of the Titane film are played in sequence, following the same storyline.
There is no single viewpoint character.
It has the usual arc of the dramatic structure - introduction, action, resolution.
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Things I liked
- The car show scene looks good.
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How does it compare to the other works of the creators?
I haven't seen any other works of the writing consultants (Jacques Akchoti & Simonetta Greggio & Jean-Christophe Bouzy).
I haven't seen any other works of the writer / director (Julia Ducournau) yet.
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Titane, movie (2021)
image © Kazak Productions & Frakas Productions & Arte France Cinéma & VOO
Analysis of the story - Titane, movie (2021)
I didn't really like the story, but I didn't find major problems that would have prevented me from enjoying Titane.
Problematic elements
Unanswered questions
- Did the woman really die during the birth?
- What will happen to the kid?
- Will the car get notified that he became a father?
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Possibilities of improvement
- Trim some scenes. The movie is too long.
How it could have been better?
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Behind the scenes
Thoughts about the reviews of others
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Titane, movie (2021)
image © Kazak Productions & Frakas Productions & Arte France Cinéma & VOO
Uses for the film - Titane, movie (2021)
Plot
- There's a guy who likes to kill people.
- There's a guy who likes to burn houses.
- There's a woman who gets pregnant by a car.
- A family finally finds their long lost son.
- Who is actually just a guy pretending to be their son.
- Even though she is actually female.
- Who is pregnant.
- By a car.
- Who is pregnant.
- Even though she is actually female.
- Who is actually just a guy pretending to be their son.
Scenes
- The car show scene is good to show a car show.
- The car sex scene is a good depiction of a woman having sex with a car.
- The birthing scene is a good depiction of how a woman gives birth to the child of a car.
- The fireman party scenes are good to depict firemen having parties.
Scenario ideas - Role-playing game scenario ideas
Pregnancy: One of the team members or one of their friends accidentally gets pregnant. The team is asked to help that person. Roll a d6: 1: that person is a male, 2: it's seemingly a virgin pregnancy, 3: the father is an inanimate object, 4: the father is some kind of monster creature, 5: the pregnancy changes the biology of the pregnant person, 6: roll twice to make things more interesting.
Lost child: A friendly family finds their long lost child. The child is now an adult, and acts strangly. The team suspects that the child is actually a stranger, pretending to be their child. They have to find evidence without hurting the family.
Scenario ideas - Wargame scenario ideas
Miniatures - 1/50-1/60 (28-32mm scale)
Civilians: Human-sized (S3) modern (advanced) human female / male civilian.
Firemen: Human-sized modern humans in fireman suits. Some of them carry axes.
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Similar stories - Titane, movie (2021)
Movies
Possessor Uncut (2020): The movie has similarly violent death scenes, in an otherwise pointless story.
Videodrome (1983): Surreal movie, with bodies getting merged with technological parts.
Tetsuo / Tetsuo: the Iron Man (1989): Surreal movie, with bodies getting merged with technological parts.
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Frequently asked questions - Titane, movie (2021)
Will the Titane movie be available with English audio dub?
Currently (in 2021.12.30) Titane is not available with English audio dub, just English subtitles.
Is the Titane film based on a book or comics?
No, Titane is not based on either books or comics.
Is the Titane film a remake or reboot?
No, the Titane film is neither a remake nor a reboot.
Is there a post credit scene in Titane? Does Titane have end credit scenes?
No, there's no post credit scene in Titane.
Where can I see Titane? Where can I watch Titane online? Is Titane available on Netflix? Is Titane on Amazon?
As of 2021.12.30, Titane is available on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, Vudu.
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Resources - Titane, movie (2021)
Official
Titane: Official article.
Information
IMDB: Titane (2021): Database article.
WikiPedia: Titane (film): Database article.
Letterboxd: Titane 2021: Database article.
Rotten Tomatoes: Titane 2021: Database article.
TVTropes: Film / Titane: Database article.
Creation
: Concept art article.¤
Reviews with no spoilers - Titane film (2021)
: Review video about the Titane film with no spoilers.¤
Reviews with spoilers - Titane film (2021)
: Review article of the Titane movie, with spoilers. Includes a very detailed plot summary.¤
Analysis - Titane movie (2021)
: Analysis video, explaining the finale of Titane.¤
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Buying the product - Titane, movie (2021)
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Have you seen the Titane film? How do you like the movie? Would you recommend it to others? Do you know reviews or resources you'd like to add? What further thoughts do you have about it? Tell your opinion in the comments!
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