Kaboom Review

• 3rd Jun 2011

Greg Araki is back again with his latest. Kaboom tells the weird tale of teenagers at college going through the usual sexual awakening shebang that Araki specialises in. So expect lots of gay characters, lots of bisexual characters and the cast swapping beds on a regular basis with a shoegaze soundtrack to back it all up.

This is almost classic Araki. Along with the music and sex content there is a twisted and colourful backdrop to most of the scenes; an almost David Lynch like aura to the screenplay as we drift in and out of reality as these well to do characters explore the surreal world around them. This time there seems to be the end of the world coming and it ties in with witchcraft.

It’s best not to explain too much about what the plot is in an Araki film as you’ll lose any subtext. It’s easier to explain the characters. And on that note here it seems that Araki is retreading old waters like he did in his teenage apocalypse trilogy. And is anything this could well have been a part of it.

But do we really need another film about a certain class of pretty teenagers worrying about their sex lives and running amok in such two dimensional forms. Honestly – if you have seen one or two Araki films in this sense then you have seen it all. And he’s done it better before.

The film is better than your average night out at the cinema for sure – but when someone creates such visual impact and shock value through sex and violence, it isn’t hard for the film to be remembered. But was it actually any good, or just a bizarre load of old cobblers that doesn’t say much except to bored rich kids.

Araki tore free from his own constraints when he make Mysterious Skin which was an altogether darker and more serious film – and evidence that he could talk to other audiences whilst retaining his style and a heavy gay element. But here he seems to have gone back to the well. So if you love his work then Kaboom could be for you. Even if you are new to the director this could be a good place to start. Otherwise keep your fingers crossed he does something different for his next film.

Steven Hurst