Humans have difficulty dealing with death. Canadian auteur David Cronenberg is not immune to this affliction. His wife of nearly 40 years passed away in 2017. Cronenberg said on record that “The Shrouds” is one measure of his grieving process. We all handle grief differently. Maybe not quite as different as Cronenberg or his protagonist, Karsh, a techno-entrepreneur who channels the grief of his wife’s passing in a most unusual and decidedly Cronenbergistic fashion.
Karsh is played by French character actor Vincent Cassel, who gets a rare opportunity to step into a leading role here, and his performance will leave audiences wondering, “Vincent, where have you been all our lives?” We’re used to Cassel showing up as a villain, but in the “Shrouds,” he’s an understated genius who can’t let go of his dead wife, so much so that he’s developed a software that will allow grievers to visit with their loved ones after death.
Let’s pause for a moment. If you’ve never seen a David Cronenberg film before, then you’ll likely be as surprised, shocked, and turned off by Karsh’s technology as much as an early-in-the-film blind date is, when Karsh gives her a tour of his cemetery for the first time, if you have, you probably know what you are getting into. Cronenberg is the king of body horror, and if you can get down with “The Shroud’s” vibe, you’ll find parallels to many of Cronenberg’s films, from “Videodrome” to “eXistenZ” to “Dead Ringers.” There’s even a lot to connect to his last film, the criminally underrated and underseen “Crimes of the Future.” And, in true Cronenberg fashion, the film is a little kinky and erotically twisted. After all, we’re talking about the man who gave us an adaptation of J.G. Ballard’s love letter to those who get sexually aroused by car crashes and found a way to turn “Naked Lunch” into a movie. His latest is tame by comparison, but it will not disappoint those who hunger for the Cronenberg experience and are thankful that this filmmaker continues to churn out films that no one else has either the audacity, ability, or imagination to make.
Karsh’s invention involves a hi-tech “shroud”or radiated suit that embodies the corpse and, through sophisticated software, allows relatives to check in on their deceased loved ones as they decay. Yup, it’s as weird as it sounds. And yet, while this movie is set in some near future point, it never sounds far-fetched. When you have the uber-wealthy building subs to visit the Titanic or pay big bucks to get a 30-minute space flight, it isn’t difficult to imagine someone with the funds to afford this service not wanting it.
The obsession that drives Karsh through the crux of this film is his inability to leave the ghosts of his past behind him, namely his dead wife, Becca, played by Diane Kruger. Complicating matters is Becca’s sister, Terry (also played by Kruger.) While the body horror and twisted nature of the proceedings are all Cronenberg, the obsession and doubles all feel like a homage to Brian De Palma movies. Terry, a former veterinarian turned dog walker, is a fixture in Karsh’s life, as another visual reminder of Becca, albeit in living form, and as a potential, in-the-flesh temptation. Terry’s ex-husband Maury (played to facial twitch perfection by Guy Pearce) is also around. He was once a former software technician of Karsh’s in the development of “The Shroud” technology. Terry, a brilliant yet flawed genius, also created an AI chatbot for Karsh named Hunny, who could potentially give M3GAN a run for her money. When Karsh’s shroud cemetery is vandalized in what appears to be a targeted attack, Terry shows up to try and solve the mystery for Karsh.
Enter a mysterious philanthropist, Soo-Min (Sandrine Holt), whose dying husband wants to back Karsh’s company, GraveTech, in a Budapest venture. Soo-Min, who’s going blind, bears certain similarities in personality to Karsh’s wife, and he finds himself drawn to the woman.
The bulk of “The Shrouds,” a talky movie that is more plot than action, involves the neo-noir mystery over who wants to end Karsh’s business and why. The film slowly builds multiple conspiracies, and it isn’t long before neither Karsh nor the audience knows whom to trust fully.
Cronenberg isn’t shy about sexuality, and there are several scenes involving graphic content that may be a bit much for some. Still, it all feels in service to the characters’ moods and behaviors. Swapping conspiracy theories appears to be an aphrodisiac for Becca’s sister, Terry. Oh, and did I mention the body horror? Yes, Cronenberg fans will not leave disappointed. There is body horror mixed into this film; how could there not be in a movie where people can use technology to watch their loved ones decompose? However, I will save some surprises for those willing to embark on this journey.
The end of the film is a bit on the obscure side, and I can imagine it leaving more than a few heads scratching, but all in all, this is a Cronenberg film through and through, and those who understand what that means and entails will surely admire it on several levels.
“The Shrouds” is available to rent on demand.
James Kent is the arts editor at the Mountain Times.
