Just when we genuinely think we’ve seen everything that can be done in cinema, Yorgos Lanthimos announces a new film and throws it all into disarray, for which we are profoundly grateful. Over the past decade, he has steadily risen from one of the formative members of the Greek Weird Wave to being amongst our greatest global filmmakers, someone whose persistence to do something different with every film has made him a contemporary master, and one of the few modern filmmakers who can genuinely provoke enthusiasm that what we will see is entirely different. His most recent offering is Poor Things, in which he works with screenwriter Tony McNamara (reuniting after they collaborated on The Favourite, a peak for both artists) to adapt the novel of the same title by Alasdair Gray, which tells the story of a young woman brought back to life after her adopted father (who found her dead body) decides to reanimate her corpse with the brain of an infant, following her development as she explores the world that surrounds her. It is a premise that was seemingly tailor-made for Lanthimos, the precise kind of off-the-wall, absurdist concept that would fit in perfectly with his fondness for surreal dark comedy with undercurrents of meaning and an abundance of opportunities for his eccentric artistic perspective to be fully displayed. Unquestionably one of the year’s most exciting and challenging films, Poor Things is a firm reminder that Lanthimos is a generational talent, someone who is capable of taking something as abstract as this novel and transforming it into an engaging, awe-inspiring masterpiece (a word that we must always be careful of using too often) that doesn’t only push boundaries, but entirely dismantles them in favour of the director’s strikingly off-kilter artistic ambitions. Brilliantly subversive and perverse in the best possible way, Lanthimos crafts an unforgettable dark comedy that goes beyond our expectations, becoming an extraordinary piece of art that disturbs and entertains in equal measure.

When it comes to analysing Lanthimos’ work, a good rule of thumb is always to expect the unexpected, and this is exactly the principle that keeps a film like Poor Things engaging and interesting. Outside the source material, which was well-liked but far from a sensation until it was rediscovered recently in the wake of this film’s production, there wasn’t any indication as to what this film would be or how it would approach a concept that is already quite peculiar. Even just imagining the genre this film would follow was a daunting task – the source novel was already almost unclassifiable, so it seemed logical to anticipate that Lanthimos would take it in some sincerely wild directions in terms of the tone and how it navigates quite a strange story. Tonally, the film is a bewildering blend of dark comedy, melodrama and fantasy, all of which are well within the director’s repertoire, but still daring enough that it doesn’t become a matter of retreading the same kind of storytelling he had mastered in the past. Despite all of his films sharing certain elements, particularly in their tone, each one is unique, with only the surface-level analysis revealing common threads between them. Poor Things takes an abstract concept and develops it into an extraordinarily layered piece of social commentary, retaining many of the same artistic curiosities that have been definitive of Lanthimos’ work, but developing on them in such a way that it doesn’t come across as just another example of an absurdist film that is weird simply for the sake of being different. At a cursory glance, this does seem to be his primary modus operandi, but the further we immerse ourselves in the story, the more we realize just how unique this film tends to be at certain points. It’s a wholeheartedly captivating affair, and the use of the most provocative kind of humour only creates a more engaging experience, something that has been found throughout Lanthimos’ body of work, which is often defined by its tendency to take concepts and reconfigure them into being something entirely different than we expected. Conventions are not something with which the director concerns himself, and we have to imagine that a more traditional film, while perhaps a change of pace, would be entirely counterproductive to the incredibly complex style that Lanthimos has carefully developed over the years, both in terms of the stories he tells and the methods he takes to bring these often wacky, irreverent concepts to life.

Oddly enough, despite being one of the most bizarre stories he has told, Poor Things is one of Lanthimos’ most simple films in terms of the themes that are being explored. It starts with the straightforward premise of a mad scientist deciding to reanimate the corpse of a young woman, simply to see if it is possible (it is hardly surprising that the character’s name is Godwin Baxter, often shortened by the characters to simply “God”, one of the more obvious indications of the film’s underlying themes), and not only succeeding, but discovering that it unlocks a world of new ideas, particularly in terms of watching how the human body develops about the brain. This is only the start, since Poor Things rapidly becomes a much deeper examination of certain issues, and it becomes quite clear what this film is trying to convey when the protagonist decides to leave the nest in favour of exploring the world. What follows are two unhinged hours in which our protagonist travels across Europe and North Africa, discovering the secrets of life that her adopted father and creator had initially decided should be hidden for her safety, and coming to terms with her own femininity. Naturally, this is all done under the guise of an off-the-wall dark comedy, so expecting the most insightful, layered and academic discussion on these ideas is not a wise decision. However, this doesn’t prevent the film from making several bold statements throughout – the message at the heart of Poor Things is clear, but it’s the execution that makes the most impact since Lanthimos is not interested in revising any of the good work done by feminist literature, but rather buttressing it in creative ways, focusing on the elements that are usually overlooked. This is a film about a woman realizing her worth, and instead of following the status quo, manifested in the form of various men she meets along the way (one of the most unsettling ironies in this film is that the only man who treats her like a person rather than a device for sexual pleasure is her adopted father, who notes that his status as a eunuch means that it is impossible for him to ever have a relationship with his unconventional creation), each one of them being eventually dismissed in favour of her independence. The film pulls apart the layers of social decorum and replaces it with a confrontational, unnerving depiction of gender politics and the intermingling of carnal desire and the lust for independence, which is an obvious theme, but one that still feels quite groundbreaking, at least in the form it takes throughout this film.

We have to imagine that actors are excited to work with filmmakers that allow them to do something different, so it is not at all surprising to see that Lanthimos has attracted many incredibly talented performers to collaborate with him on a number of his films, and the list of actors who intend to work with him only grows longer with each new film. He reunites with Emma Stone for the third time (having previously worked together on The Favourite and the short film Bleat), and it is clear that they have an exceptionally strong working relationship, with the director drawing out some of Stone’s best work in all of their collaborations. Situating Poor Things within Stone’s career is a difficult task since this is such a peculiar film and a performance that is unlike anything she has done before, so it will either be viewed as her most definitive performance or a wildly ambitious diversion from the more traditional work she tends to do. We have to give Stone credit for taking on such challenging roles while she is arguably at the peak of her popularity, especially since a few decades ago, a role that required their lead to bare it all (emotionally and physically) would have been considered provocative career suicide but has not become an opportunity for a major star to show a different side of herself. She’s joined by a wonderful supporting cast – Willem Dafoe and Mark Ruffalo work with the director for the first time, and both fit perfectly into his world (and are playing characters that are slightly against type – Dafoe’s softhearted mad scientist and Ruffalo’s eccentric, over-the-top lawyer are absolute highlights of the film), and it also serves to be a great showcase for comedians like Jerrod Carmichael and Ramy Youssef, who have turned in good performances in the past, but nothing on the level of what they were asked to do in Poor Things, a film that took all these talented individuals and challenged them to step out of their comfort zone, allowing them to turn in unforgettable, nuanced performances that are beautifully-woven into the fabric of this story, being one of the many aspects of the film that earned our admiration.

Poor Things is an incredible work of art, not only in terms of the story it tells but also the artistry that went into its creation. Lanthimos has a knack for creating unique and compelling worlds, telling stories that are off-centre and extremely peculiar, and skirting around the edges of plausibility in a way that is incredibly resonant and extremely bizarre. Credit must go to everyone who agreed to accompany him on this journey, particularly those behind the camera – there are images in this film that are very likely the first of their kind – colours that have seemingly never been captured on film before, compositions that are entirely experimental and driven by the desire to pluck the viewer out of reality and place us in this offbeat version of our world, which is only marginally recognizable. A film like Poor Things is only possible through the careful collaboration between the director and the artists tasked with different elements of the story, the costuming by Holly Waddington, the production design by the art department led by Shona Heath and James Prince and the cinematography by veteran Robbie Ryanare all extraordinary, and are vitally important in terms of situating us within this offbeat version of the world. Similarly, the music by Jerskin Fendrix (an extremely gifted experimental musician who has been long overdue for a larger breakthrough) ties everything together, his bespoke score consisting of discordant sounds that come together to create an unforgettable cacophony that reflects the chaotic brilliance of this story. Much like the images, some sounds populate this score that have never been heard before, and the cobbled nature of the filmmaking, both visually and aurally, is directly related to the unconventional nature of the narrative, which is a blend of so many different ideas, much like Bella Baxter and her animal companions, formed together through scraps that would otherwise be dismissed, but instead form the foundation of an incredibly unique creation. The story itself is strong enough to not have required this level of creativity, but the fact that it took such an approach is a clear indication of its intention to be unlike anything we have seen before, which is achieved quite handily throughout this hilariously off-kilter, postmodern odyssey.

Despite having achieved considerable acclaim and success since his debut many years ago, Lanthimos has consistently refused to rest on his laurels, and his insistence that every work be unique has stood him in good stead as he continues to leave an indelible impression on the industry. Considering he has only been a prominent director for just over a decade, the fact that new works are being cited as being influenced by his style only makes it even more clear that he has already made quite an impact, and Poor Things is only the most recent entry into his incredibly layered career. It is certainly not a film that will convert those who aren’t particularly enamoured with his style, and it is perhaps his most scintillating film, not only because of the content but also how it navigates some of the more provocative themes that flow throughout the story. Calling a Lanhtimos film an acquired taste has become passé, especially since audiences are starting to become accustomed enough to his style to embrace them wholeheartedly, and the sheer artistry that goes into their production is usually enough to thaw at the cynicism that he often receives. Poor Things is not a film that takes itself too seriously, but still carries a lot of meaning, and whether we want to just view it as an off-the-wall dark comedy filled with unique elements that we aren’t likely to see replicated or engage with the underlying commentary, the experience of working our way through this film is nothing short of a delight – challenging and thought-provoking, while still being hilariously funny and irreverent in a way that shows both impeccable comedic timing and genuine intelligence. It’s yet another magnificent effort from a director who continues to push the boundaries of what is possible in cinema, and the earnest attention to detail, coupled with a story that has moments of being genuinely moving, all coalesce in one of the year’s most extraordinary works of art, and a film that dismantles our expectations and proves the value in giving these stories to truly original voices, since the result is almost always going to be artistically resonant. Thrilling and exciting, Poor Things is quite an achievement, and like everything Lanthimos has made so far, it only piques our curiosity even more about what he is going to do next, with all signs indicating that it will only continue to elevate him to the status of one of our most original, innovative auteurs.