Challengers review: Zendaya shines in a smart and sexy film that is sure to be an instant classic
★★★★.5
The newest Zendaya-led film Challengers is an electric watch, equal parts sexy, serious, and sensational.
Whilst everyone spent the build-up to the release of the film focusing on the threesome scene hinted at in the trailers – this is arguably one of the least sensual parts of the film.
Early on, Zendaya’s Tashi Duncan tells Mike Faist’s Art that ‘tennis is a relationship’, and that informs the entire rest of the film.
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In a bizarrely batsh*t twist, every time there is sex in the film, it’s kind of all about the tennis, and every time there is anything else in the film, it’s kind of all about sex.
The film is framed around a shifting chronology back and forth through time - all centred around Mike Faist’s Art and Josh O’Connor’s Patrick facing off in a tennis match.
Patrick is a lowly tennis player, around 300th in the world, whilst Art is one of the best in the world – focused on winning the only major title he’s never achieved, the US open.
Zendaya rounds out the trio as a former tennis prodigy Tashi Duncan, whose career was ended by injury but stays in the game as Art’s coach and wife.
Throw in a dash of a three-way kiss, Patrick being her ex, and an underlying sexual tension between Art and Patrick, the film transcends sports.
All three of the leads in the film are on absolute top form.
No one should be surprised, but Zendaya is a star, commanding the screen every time she appears – refusing to let your focus ever drift from her.
Alongside her, Faist and O’Connor play a brilliant pair – with the film framed around each of them competing with each other for Tashi’s attention, but spending most of their time almost focused on each other more so instead.
The playful chemistry between the pair is intoxicating, and in stark contrast to the intensity of Zendaya.
The film, directed by Call me By Your Name director Luca Guadagnino, is an absolute triumph in insanity – at every possible avenue Luca makes the most bonkers possible choice.
Climactic tennis scene the whole film has been leading to? Shoot it as a POV shot from the perspective of the ball. Obviously.
Threesome scene focused on Zendaya teased in all the promotional material in the film? The furthest it gets is actually the two guys making out, and she almost immediately gets up and leaves after this.
The score adds to this frenetic energy, with Reznor and Ross’ music for the film feeling more at home in a drug-filled European nightclub than a film. If it wasn’t clear, that’s a massive compliment.
It is totally unique and adds massively to the unhinged energy of the movie.
Whilst the film may not be for everyone, that is a result of the huge swings they go for here. Entrancing, batsh*t, and unforgettable – the core love triangle works incredibly because it is a genuine triangle, with all three having incredible chemistry with each other.
It’s sexy, insane, and fun as anything – and should absolutely be your next watch this week.
Topics: Film and TV, Zendaya, Reviews
Michael Slavin