Director/writer Jean-Baptiste Saurel, along with writer Elodie Wallace, whip out Zénithal, an action comedy that rises up to find out if it’s the size that counts or the motion of the ocean.
The film revolves around the dry cleaner Francis (Franc Bruneau) and his long-time girlfriend Sonia (Vanessa Guide) as they try to keep their relationship alive by abstaining from sex for a year, which in itself places a massive strain on them. Things aren’t helped when Francis’s old rival from his movie days, Ti-Kong (Thevada Dek), comes to town to instruct one of Sonia’s Sexido classes, which utilizes sexual energy for self-defense, and spread his teachings of a non-toxic masculinity. This is juxtaposed by the fact that he has a three foot penis that made him famous. Things turn south when Francis finds out and is later accused of murdering Ti-Kong by “dickapitation”. While hiding out, he is taken by “The Mad Surgeon” Michele Sweeper (Xavier Lacaille) in an attempt at gender domination. It is now up to Sonia, along with dry cleaning partner Marcus (Cyril Gueï) and two classmates, Marion (Rébecca Finet) and Ninon (Anaïde Rozam), to find and rescue Francis.
Vanessa Guide and Franc Bruneau as Sonia and Francis in a quiet but charged moment from Zénithal.
“…comes to town to instruct one of Sonia’s Sexido classes, which utilizes sexual energy for self-defense…”
Zénithal is more or less 80 minutes of dick jokes that encompass a message of how a balance between the sexes can overcome adversity and madness. There is a base humor that fills up the film. Considering what it involves, it comes as no surprise. I’ll admit that it did get a few laughs out of me. I’m not above some dirty humor. Others may find it off-putting, however.
The cinematography is something that I can appreciate here. It is well done, with a few shots that left me thoroughly impressed. It brings out the best in the sets, which go from feeling authentic to ending up in the boss chamber of a video game dungeon as the surreality of the stakes rises higher. The dialogue for the film is spoken in French with English subtitles. If one is not used to this, it can be difficult to take in the visuals without missing any of the dialogue. Fortunately, the subtitles don’t move too quickly. That being said, there are small bits of English put in, mainly through Ti-Kong speaking.
Is Zénithal a hard-on success, or a flaccid flop? I’m about half staff on this one. There’s fun to be had here with some impressive and amusing imagery, but not everyone will be in the mood for the crass subject matter.
"…80 minutes of dick jokes..."
