J.G. Ballard's classic novel of savage social satire has received a faithfully provocative film adaptation courtesy of idiosyncratic director Ben Wheatley. The retro futurist story comes vividly (and bitterly) to life, having lost none of its bite in the four decades since its publication.
Tom Hiddleston stars as Dr. Robert Laing, who has just moved his boxed possessions into an imposing, architecturally bizarre high-rise building that functions as a sort of self-contained city, complete with gyms, a supermarket, and a thriving social scene that seems to have stratified itself into a combative hierarchy. Tom finds himself in liminal zone, befriended by inhabitants of the lower levels like Richard Wilder (Luke Evans) and his wife Helen (Elisabeth Moss), as well as the building's deified architect Anthony Royal (Jeremy Irons) who lives in a sprawling Eden on the building's rooftop.
The film's brilliantly 70's inspired diegesis - complete with a chamber quartet playing ABBA's "S.O.S." and some stunning costumes designed by Odile Dicks-Mireaux - is peppered with symbolism and recurring motifs that strongly enforce the film's (and novel's) critique of the barbarism of capitalist society. As the high-rise gradually descends into the chaos of all-out class warfare, the face of Che Guevara and ominous news reports loom from the shadows.
The visual design of the film is marvellous, as is its episodic narrative structure, helped immensely by Wheatley's distinctive use of montage that utilises abstraction and striking visual inventiveness. It's only toward the end of High-Rise that cracks appear in its sturdy foundation, as focus is lost when it should be pulled tight, and the film's climax is oddly and frustratingly muted.
As per his previous films, though, Wheatley shows an incredible touch with black humour that has made works like Sightseers and A Field in England cult favourites. Often, High-Rise is at once hilarious and shocking, making you laugh as it turns your stomach with its visions of savagery and callousness. With the inventive screenplay written by Amy Jump, the cast are brilliant, at once playing up both the absurdity and the urgency of the script.
High-Rise succeeds as an adaptation because it translates the spark of the original novel to the screen brilliantly. While it is ultimately not as satisfying as it could have been, it's open-endedness is also one of its strength. It's a thought-provoking and often uncompromising film, full of brilliant and intensely memorable moments that make it more than worth a watch, and then several more after that.
High-Rise opens in Australian cinemas on Thursday August 18th.
