There has never been a more appropriate time to be sceptical of our global leaders than now – the world is in tatters. It seems like every nation is working to ensure its survival, even if it comes at the expense of its allies, which is not a new concept but one that goes against the principles of global unity and cohesion. We’ve seen efforts to examine the incredulity we feel towards those in power in the past. Still, they’re usually written off as compelling but otherwise inconsequential satires that aim to be more entertaining than they are informative, despite many of them containing some of the most prescient, stark commentary imaginable, and which have only proven to have aged better with time. A terrific addition to this canon of immensely provocative and genuinely intriguing political satires is Rumours, in which Guy Maddin reunites with frequent collaborators Evan and Galen Johnson (for their sixth film together, and the first feature-length project in over seven years) to tell the fictionalized story of the leaders of the G7 (which consists of the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Canada, France and Japan) as they gather for one of their annual summits, only to find themselves lost in a forest deep in the heartland of Saxony, forced to navigate the treacherous surroundings in which danger lurks in the hopes of escaping this wooded labyrinth that contains secrets that none of them is willing to address, but have very little choice but to confront to ensure their survival. A bleak but hilarious dark comedy that represents some of the most harrowing socio-political and cultural commentaries we’ve seen in recent years, Rumours is an unhinged series of satirical jabs that finds the esteemed Canadian auteur and his cherished collaborators working together to tell an unsettling story of our impending doom, and how those in power are usually the least well-equipped to handle the various crises that can dictate the machinations of the global system and its various responsibilities, a haunting concept that is rendered in great detail throughout this bizarre but brilliant work.

Political satires are a dime a dozen in just about every conceivable medium, and you simply cannot venture too far into any work of fiction without finding some kind of commentary, whether it is foregrounded or subtle, or perhaps even unintentionally present in some instances. Rumours are one of the many that makes its intentions clear from the outset, and while every political satire is quietly hoping to revive the spark of ingenuity that defined works like Dr Strangelove and Team America: World Police, very few of them achieve it, since the distinction between a satire that withstands the test of time and those that age terrible is so narrow and even more arbitrary, since it depends less on the quality of the work (which is often impeccable) and more on how well it predicted the future, since we can never tell which satires are going to resonate with future generations until we reach that point. However, what the directors achieve here is quite intriguing, since it somehow is both contemporary in its perspective, but has a hold on both the past and the future, both of which are addressed in fascinating and often quite challenging ways, through this neon-soaked, visually captivating dark comedy that looks and feels like it is set in another alternate universe entirely, one that contains colours and sounds unknown to us, but yet still hypnotic enough to draw us in. It’s not clear when the film is set – it could either be taking place in a current setting, or shortly, and this refusal to commit to a particular time allows it to not only be very flexible in how it builds its unique mythos but also prevents it from staking a claim in any modern issues, rather skirting around reality through addressing themes that are recognizable in silhouette but are still quite ambigious. A good satire looks at the broader ideas rather than being hyperfocused on specific events, and regardless of when this film is set, a work designed around interrogating leadership and crucifying the broken promises of global unity and political allyship is going to resonate to a significant degree, which is precisely how Rumours manages to be extremely insightful without actually saying anything directly.

Satire is one of the few forms of artistic expression where someone can not only get away with saying very little. But be openly celebrated for such a trait. This isn’t to say that those who peddle the art of lampooning society and its quirks are given immunity as far as their ideas go, but rather that these works tend to depend less on the message and more on the delivery in many cases, which is precisely why so many of the greatest satires are those that prove to be more about the atmosphere than the storyline. In the case of Rumours, the ambiguity is not a design flaw but rather a trait of its exceptional brilliance, since we are plunged into this story, positioned as passive observers of the events surrounding this summit which starts as a bundle of pleasantries before quickly receding into something much more haunting once the underlying themes begin to emerge. Yet, Maddin, Johnson and Johnson refuse to justify some of these choices, instead allowing them to fester as elements that are simultaneously bizarre and vague, asking the viewer to come to their interpretation. However, there is a very likely possibility that the various encounters and occurrences we find scattered throughout this film are not there to have any metaphorical meaning or hidden message, but rather as red herrings, designed to steer us off-course and demonstrate our frantic need to understand everything, to the point where we ascribe meaning to something that quite simply exists just for the sake of the artists’ pleasure. We scramble to understand all the motifs presented throughout Rumours, but it becomes increasingly clear how hollow so many of these ideas are in reality, which is an intentional choice that speaks to the only clear message we find in this story, namely that our world leaders are just as clueless and lost as we are, and when faced with the possibility of their extinction, they scramble to survive, even if it means sacrificing their closest confidantes. Yet, we can’t help but be somewhat enticed by the promise of some deeper conversation, and the directors encourage us to look deeper, since ideas may be lingering beneath the surface of Rumours that were not placed there on purpose, but are still acceptable, considering the scope of the ideas that drive this film, and the ambigious nature of the story lending itself to various interpretations.

Rumours entrust its many peculiarities into the hands of the cast, with the ensemble being the primary propellant of the story and the ultimate root of its success, or rather the audience’s assessment of how well it executed its ideas. The directors make use of a strong cast of actors, each one from a different nationality (even if they are not necessarily playing characters from that particular country), which adds credence to the global nature of the film and how this is essentially a story of intercultural communication. Each one of these actors is recognizable in both their home countries and internationally and dedicates themselves wholeheartedly to the zany premise of this film, which is particularly notable considering the scope of the narrative means that the film can only be as effective as its weakest link. Mercifully, everyone is at the very peak of their capabilities and showcases their exceptional command of their craft in every moment of this film. Cate Blanchett is the de facto protagonist, both in terms of her being the anchor of the story and the character she plays being positioned as the host of the summit. Playing a role inspired by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Blanchett delivers one of her funniest performances to date, every word she utters in her hackneyed German accent being an absolute riot, and proving that she is truly one of the best living actors. Charles Dance plays the President of the United States, not even bothering to change his accent (which becomes a plot point, albeit one that is intentionally never resolved), while Denis Ménochet is hilarious as the rotund President of France whose paranoia kickstarts the central tension, and who also makes the most out of every moment on screen. Roy Dupuis takes on the quiet, brooding heroism of the Prime Minister of Canada, while Nikki Amuka-Bird, Rolando Ravello and Takehiro Hira are exceptionally reliable as the rest of the G7 leaders who have to fight for their survival. There are smaller supporting parts by Alicia Vikander and Zlatko Burić, who are only on screen for a few moments, but make the best of absolutely every minute. The ensemble-based nature of Rumours elevates it even further and makes it so much more engrossing.

For devotees to Maddin’s work, Rumours is much more mainstream than most of his previous work, but when working with such a broad concept and an even more notable cast, it’s understandable that his instincts would veer more towards populist sentiments. However, this is only on the surface, since the further we venture inwards, the more we find that this film contains multitudes of ideas, some of which are far more daring than others. The sooner we realize that this is not a film that intends to reach a particular destination and that every indication of progressing somewhere is a non-sequitur in some form or another, and instead exists as an off-the-wall parody of global political unity, something that the directors feel is entirely overblown and insincere, the sooner we can embrace the unique elements that govern this story. It’s offbeat and outrageous, and blurs boundaries between genres with incredible panache, being equal parts dark comedy, political thriller, psychological horror and science fiction, sampling from each one of these genres with a meticulous attention to detail that is entirely difficult to ignore. The themes presented are fascinating but not entirely important since it is more about the atmosphere, which is engaging and deeply unnerving, keeping us in a state of curiosity as we set out to navigate the world of the film with these characters. Danger lurks in the shadow, but the argument is that it’s these people we have to fear, as they’re the proverbial monsters strolling through this eerie forest, desperate to survive by any means necessary and refusing to abide by their instincts when it comes to conflict with their scrambling for power and influence, even within their group. A simple premise developed into a masterfully written, impeccably-directed dark comedy, Rumours is a triumph of contemporary satire and a film that sheds some much-needed light into the modern political system, showing nothing but disdain in absolutely every way for the people at the heart of the story, and the institutions dedicated to keeping them in power.