The Wasteland Reviewer

Challengers (2024) Written Review

Are you ready for one of the sexiest and most erotic films in theaters today? Luca Guadagnino has never shied away from capturing raw unadulterated sexuality onscreen. Where it was in a beautiful way in Call Me by Your Name or in a darker or more complex way with Suspiria or Bones and All, Guadagnino knows how to explore sex in an impactful and poignant way. Pleasure is a basic piece of human existence, and Challengers know that for certain and never forgets it. 

How does Guadagnino navigate his most “mainstream” film to date? On the surface, this film is about a tennis rivalry and a love triangle. But it is a great thing to report that it is far from being that simple. This trio dynamic is complicated in ways that most movie characters never venture towards. There is impressive depth of character as we see two best friends (who might have a little more complicated attraction than just friends) who become bitter rivals. The element that takes that there? Tashi. This woman is prepared to be the alpha of the tennis world. Life is tennis. Sex is tennis. Love is tennis. It is all tennis. This warped reality leads our trio of characters down a dark path of betrayal, heartbreak, and embarrassment. This film builds up to a climactic crescendo like no other film. The tension was there the whole time, and the ending of this film is the most unique fulfillment of a love triangle you are going to find in a film. The final moments will have you leaping from your seat with our leads as well. 

The feeling is there but is the script structure there as well? There is an impressive structure that screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes incorporates. The whole film is framed as a three-act story with the three sets of a match between our friends turned rivals. Flashbacks pull back the layers on this incredible story. There are so many details that are laid out through the film that pay off in the best ways. The final 10-minutes or so of the film is some of the best storytelling and filmmaking you will find in any film this year. The screenplay never feels like it is spelling things out too much for the audience. Each line of dialogue and every character action has meaning in advancing this poignant story. The way the film handles power and control is quite impressive with each character fitting a specific place on the power dynamics of the film. Tashi, Art, and Patrick each play their roles perfectly and the film builds to impressive synchronization of their arcs. The film warns you of the dangers of these three people getting involved with one another but the way the film delivers this defies all expectations. The three dances between our characters are all about the deep connection between sex and athletic performance. 

You would not expect Gaudagnino to make a “sports” movie, would you? I can promise you this…this is no sports movie you have ever seen. The filmmaking is off the charts. The final moments of this match are some of the most intense sports action sequences ever put to film. The editing is dynamic in a way that makes this film feel too artful and dynamic to be written as a “mainstream” effort from Guadagnino. Marco Costa’s editing is out of this world creating a visceral and thrilling experience unlike any other tennis film. Sayombhu Mukdeeprom’s work behind the camera is just as dynamic. The way slow motion is used would make most other filmmakers feel jealous. The framing is crisp and incredibly intentional. There is not a wasted shot in the entire film. This gorgeous film is dripping in sweat and lust. It is almost too hard to handle. But it is Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross who bring the house down with their showstopping score that would bring any night club to life in seconds. The propulsion. The energy. The passion. It is all there. Soderbergh would be proud to see a film this cool. When a filmmaker like Guadagnino takes on a genre…he is going to do it right.

But who are the true stars of the film? This trio of actors steal the show and will be having every awards vote talking by the end of this year. Zendaya is as powerful, confident, and a force as Tashi. When you see her play tennis, it does legitimately feel like something completely different and unique. This powerful performance makes Tashi’s tragedy and control so much more poignant. We see every crack in this fragile persona that Tashi has created. You feel every stare of lust and disdain. But the film would not work without the layered and evolving turns of Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor. You see them as young, lustful, and wide-eyed. But at the time of their modern match, they have evolved (or devolved) into new versions of these characters that are so effective. This trio of actors deserve all the praise and awards consideration that they hopefully receive early next year. 

Is Challengers the must-see sports film of the year? Absolutely…because it is infinitely more than that. This film is sexy and steamy in ways few directors would dare. The character journey that our trio goes on is engrossing in every moment. Guadagnino did it again and delivered a showstopping flick that is artful, intense, and thrilling. The fire is hot, and Challengers will hopefully keep the flame going throughout the rest of this year.