Challengers

it was such a beautiful movie. The characters are all riveting and have an interesting storyline that keeps you on the edge of your seat till the final minutes of the movie. I’ve seen reviews that have said the movie doesn’t have a proper “plot” but they seem to overlook that the characters themselves are the plot, as the entire point of the movie is to understand the complex relationship between the trio. It is one of the few movies I’ve watched that has a lasting impact as you reflect back on it. To this day, I still think about the characters and all the little comments/actions they do that really explains so much. Every single little detail in this movie is so perfectly placed with a specific purpose. Without spoiling too much, I highly recommend this movie for anyone that is looking for a fun “rom-com” type of movie that isn’t so predictable. Challengers is a rare occasion of a romance movie that genuinely makes you think and reflect.

Visually INCREDIBLE - but the line between tennis and relationships blurs to a solid gray... until I don't really care about them anymore... STRIKING - TENSE - TECHNICAL - SHALLOW Let me start by saying... Challengers is riding with three stars for the filmmaking craft of this film alone. Technically - this is a gripping masterpiece. I've never been more excited about tennis in my life. The back and forth of the timeline mimics the tennis ball flying between Art and Patrick, subtle costuming and on-screen typography inform the audience to follow the storyline. Every shock of electric tension is due to the cinematography... this transcends just another 'tennis movie'. This film is sophisticated... Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross supported these aspects in every way with their score. WOW. *adds to playlist. They can do no wrong. The graphic nudity from the rating, isn't what you think it is... and it doesn't add anything to the film itself. Why write that into the script? It's minimal and unnecessary. If you're looking for a 'threesome' teased in the trailer, you'll be disappointed. This film is all about the tension. I was impressed that Luca didn't push a graphic sex scene in our faces; the story didn't need it, and he stayed true to that. The rest of the script gives the cast excellent dialogue, especially in scenes with high energy and conflict. Pacing was on point. This excellence set up the cast for an instant success. Zendaya is absolutely brooding as Tashi. There's a perspective of Challengers that she was setting up Art and Patrick the whole time, but I didn't see that. She was a player, and they fell right into her trap. Faist and O'Connor were perfectly cast in their roles... their love triangle rivals that of Katniss, Peeta, and Gale. From an acting craft perspective, great work. (Award worthy? .... eh, maybe.) However... I didn't really care about the characters. While the filmmaking is sophisticated... it's characters were not. Their choices didn't have any meaning. They were driven by teenage fantasies and the romantic conflict they experienced in college defined the rest of their stories. That is basic and trivial. Within the first 25 minutes, I was hooked on this film, and desperately wanted it to go somewhere, to push these characters to their limits. Instead, they bounced back and forth just as much as the tennis ball between them. Nearly every shot is a work of art, making the camera a part of the story - *I* feel a part of the story. But... this isn't a story I want to be a part of. While I enjoyed the cinema of this film, the storyline wasn't my favorite. After raving about the technical aspects of Challengers... I can't say that I actually like the film, just parts of it. I definitely understand the rave, and some of the nominations this film has garnered... but perhaps its still a bit out of its place, in comparison to the rest of the films that 2024 gave us - The Fall Guy? Twisters? Better films.

Challengers mixes tennis with intricate personal dynamics. Zendaya's tennis coach character tries to boost her husband's career by entering him in a tournament, only to face complications involving her ex-boyfriend. The film shifts between past and present, adding depth to the character interactions. It is not as spicy or a teen rom-com as the trailers make you believe, but it is an enjoyable film tied together by excellent cinematography and soundtrack. Perhaps Tennis can fulfil everyone's desires?

Tam bir vakit kaybı desem yalan olmaz sanırım. Sektör iyice bozulmuş, bozulmaya da devam ediyor....

What if you made a movie about sports and men that was written poeple who did not really understand either. This is it.