Rubber – Review (Fantasia 2010)

Over the years, film buffs have been witness to numerous revenge films that have left shocking memories forever imprinted in their mental Rolodex’s and Quentin Dupieux’s Rubber is no exception to this controversial sub-genre. However, the shocks and irreversible memories are not induced by eight minute long rape sequences or torture scenes dealing with tools of castration, but rather it is the film’s absurdity and its tongue-in-cheek humor that makes this “revenge” film quite unforgettable.

In a blazing hot desert, Robert emerges from the sand broken, beat down and weak as he tries to muster up the strength to take his vengeance on everybody or everything that comes across his path for the massacre of his friends and family. Robert is merciless. Robert is sadistic. Robert is also a rubber tire. A psychic rubber tire with telepathic abilities for a matter of fact. Robert’s blood-lust is momentarily forgotten as he meets and falls for a beautiful woman (played by Roxane Mesquida) and follows her wherever she goes while still continuing to blow up everything in his path and avoid the hilarious and self-aware sheriff (played by the scene-stealing Stephen Spinella) who is eager to take the air out of his tire (pun intended). Hilarity, “Scanners-style” head explosions and the need for munchies ensue.

Unlike the cult latex killing rubber film, Killer Condom that won film geeks worldwide years ago, Rubber actually has something to say besides its absurd and bizarre concept. The film also serves as a great social commentary piece depicting how mainstream movie-watching has consumed our lives. Like Michael Haneke’s Funny Games, Dupieux knows the viewers are used to the predictable conventions of mainstream horror films and conveys this by boldly breaking down the film’s “fourth wall” by having the sheriff being fully aware he is in a horror film and by setting up a subplot of spectators watching the film LIVE from binoculars. However, unlike Haneke, Dupieux does not punish his viewers but rather he asks them to be entertained and laugh with him as his moral is intentionally played out through self-referential parodic situations. (The film’s memorable monologue about American mainstream cinema is a perfect example of this.)

Dupieux has a French sense of dark, deadpan humor and the experimental film’s cast also respect his vision as they are able to bring Dupieux’s disposition, exposition and well-crafted dialogue to life as effortlessly as Robert the tire is able to blow up a human’s head (which he does a lot of!). Despite the fact that Rubber may have played out better as short than a feature film, as it seems to drag a bit with only an 80 minute running time, it is hard not to commend the film for its clever yet nonsensical premise as it is an aburdist horror-comedy that can be enjoyed by viewers other than film snobs and potheads. There may be “no reason” for how Robert the tire has come to life, but God bless Quentin Dupieux for making it possible. Check out this improbable killer indie when it hits a festival circuit near you!

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Note: This film is was screened at the Fantasia Film Festival 2010.