Antichrist (2009)

Lars von Trier’s Antichrist is a psychological horror-drama that delves into grief, guilt, gender, and the primal fears that emerge in isolation. Infamous for its graphic imagery and emotionally raw performances, the film is a deeply disturbing exploration of a couple’s descent into madness. It’s not for the faint of heart—but it is impossible to forget.

Detailed Summary

Opening: Tragedy in Slow Motion

The film opens in stark black and white, scored by a haunting piece of Handel’s Lascia ch’io pianga. A married couple, played by Willem Dafoe (He) and Charlotte Gainsbourg (She), are having sex while their toddler son, Nic, climbs onto a windowsill and falls to his death. This tragedy sets the emotional and psychological foundation for the film.

Therapy and Escape to the Woods

He, a therapist, insists on treating She himself, despite warnings from colleagues and the couple’s shared trauma. To help her confront her fears, he takes her to a remote cabin in the forest called Eden, a place she once visited and now associates with dread. Instead of healing, the forest begins to unravel both their psyches.

Eden: A Living Nightmare

Once in Eden, the couple encounters increasingly bizarre and symbolic natural phenomena. A deer gives birth to a stillborn fawn. A fox disembowels itself and whispers “Chaos reigns.” A crow won’t die, no matter how many times it’s attacked. These surreal and violent scenes signify the unraveling of reality and the descent into psychological and spiritual chaos.

She becomes more unstable, revealing that she has a deep connection to the idea of “gynocide”—the historical persecution of women—and expresses beliefs that women are inherently evil. Her behavior grows erratic and violent, culminating in increasingly disturbing sexual and physical acts. He, in turn, begins to fear for his life.

Movie Ending

In the climax, She commits horrifying acts of mutilation—both to herself and to Him. She drills a hole in his leg, bolts a heavy grindstone to it, and throws away the wrench, immobilizing him. After she attempts to flee, he crawls to safety and eventually overpowers her. In a moment of quiet horror, she expresses suicidal remorse, saying she doesn’t want to live anymore. He strangles her to death.

The final scenes are heavily symbolic: after burning her body in a pyre, He hobbles out of the forest and sees a large group of faceless women walking toward him—silent, anonymous, possibly symbolic of history, guilt, or retribution. The film cuts to black, offering no final judgment or relief.

Are There Post-Credits Scenes?

No, Antichrist does not feature any post-credits scenes. The story concludes with the main narrative and does not leave room for teasers or continuations.

Type of Movie

Antichrist is a psychological horror and art-house drama. It blends body horror, existential dread, and experimental narrative with symbolic surrealism. It’s both philosophical and visceral—definitely not your typical horror movie.

Cast

• Willem Dafoe as He
• Charlotte Gainsbourg as She

These are the only two credited speaking roles, intensifying the claustrophobia and emotional entrapment of the story.

Film Music and Composer

The film features classical compositions, primarily Lascia ch’io pianga by George Frideric Handel, which plays during key moments. There is no traditional score. The minimal use of music enhances the oppressive atmosphere and leaves the viewer focused on natural sounds and psychological tension.

Filming Locations

The movie was shot in Germany, primarily in North Rhine-Westphalia, and interior scenes were filmed in studios in Cologne. The forest (Eden) is a key symbolic space: it represents not only nature but also the subconscious, a battleground between grief, sexuality, and mythological evil.

Awards and Nominations

• Charlotte Gainsbourg won Best Actress at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.
• The film was nominated for the Palme d’Or.
• It received various critical accolades and polarizing reactions, often cited as both brilliant and deeply offensive.

Behind the Scenes Insights

• Lars von Trier wrote the script while experiencing severe depression. The film was, in part, his own way of processing mental illness.
• The movie was intended to be part of a “depression trilogy” along with Melancholia and Nymphomaniac.
• Both actors performed extremely demanding scenes, both emotionally and physically. Charlotte Gainsbourg’s commitment to the role earned critical praise.
• Graphic scenes used prosthetics and visual effects but were nonetheless controversial, leading to walkouts during its Cannes premiere.
• Von Trier edited the film himself while on medication and later admitted he was not fully emotionally stable during production.

Inspirations and References

• The title “Antichrist” is not overtly religious in a traditional sense but draws on theological, mythological, and psychological themes.
• Influences include Carl Jung’s ideas on the shadow self, feminist history, biblical texts, and European witch trials.
• The forest may be seen as a nod to Dante’s Inferno, where the character enters a dark wood symbolic of sin and confusion.

Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes

Lars von Trier is known for maintaining tight creative control, and there are no known alternate endings. However, some early versions of the script were even darker, and certain scenes were edited or softened slightly after early test screenings.

Book Adaptations and Differences

Antichrist is an original screenplay written by Lars von Trier, though it is heavily influenced by literature, theology, and psychoanalysis. There is no book adaptation, but fans have drawn parallels to works like:

• Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar
• Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper
• Biblical texts and medieval demonology

Memorable Scenes and Quotes

Key Scenes

• Opening sequence with slow-motion sex and the child’s fall
• The self-disemboweling fox: “Chaos reigns”
• The bolt-and-grindstone torture
• The final strangulation scene and burning of the body
• The procession of faceless women in the ending

Iconic Quotes

• “Nature is Satan’s church.”
• “A woman crying is a woman scheming.”
• “Chaos reigns.”
• “I can’t do this anymore.”
• “You shouldn’t love me.”

Easter Eggs and Hidden Details

• The three animals in the forest (deer, fox, crow) represent the Three Beggars, a symbolic concept Von Trier invented to mirror death, pain, and despair.
• There are visual nods to woodcut illustrations of witch trials, often in the background of “She’s” research.
• The film is divided into four chapters and a prologue, similar to a classical tragedy or religious text.
• The name Eden is ironic, representing a corrupted paradise.

Trivia

• The film was banned or heavily censored in several countries, including France and Australia.
• It was one of the first movies rated by the Danish Board of Film Classification for explicit sexual violence.
• Von Trier claimed he had no idea whether the film was “good” because of his mental state during production.
• Gainsbourg and Dafoe were Von Trier’s second choices—he initially wanted Eva Green, who dropped out due to creative conflicts.

Why Watch?

Watch Antichrist if you are interested in experimental, emotionally intense cinema that pushes boundaries. It’s not just horror—it’s a raw dive into grief, guilt, and the human psyche. If you can stomach the imagery, you’ll find a deeply thought-provoking film that lingers long after the credits roll.

Director’s Other Movies

• Breaking the Waves (1996)
• Dancer in the Dark (2000)
• Dogville (2003)
• Melancholia (2011)
• Nymphomaniac Vol. I (2013)
• Nymphomaniac Vol. II (2013)
• The House That Jack Built (2018)

Recommended Films for Fans

• Possession (1981) – for psychological intensity and body horror
• The Witch (2015) – for its atmosphere and themes of womanhood and evil
• Mother! (2017) – for its allegorical storytelling and shock value
• Hereditary (2018) – for its exploration of grief and madness
• Persona (1966) – for psychological duality and symbolic filmmaking
• The Lighthouse (2019) – for isolation, madness, and symbolic storytelling