“Surgery is the new sex.” Kristen Stewart‘s Timlin whispers this into the ear of Viggo Mortensen‘s Saul Tenser after witnessing his surgical performance art in David Cronenberg‘s Crimes of the Future. It’s an epiphany for the aroused Timlin. For writer/director Cronenberg, it feels more like an organic evolution, the visionary’s return to body horror is an extension of his philosophical fascination with the human body but a far more muted, reflective, and sophisticated affair that comes with age. Set in a vague future, humans have long adapted to the synthetic environment they created. The human body has evolved and mutated; it no longer feels pain- except for Saul Tenser, a performance artist who refuses to adapt and whose body rebels by producing new non-functional organs regularly. Saul’s become a celebrity artist with partner Caprice (Léa Seydoux), making the surgical removal of these superfluous internal bits an artform. There’s a soothing yet engrossing aloofness to Saul’s story and purpose, with no flashiness to its peaks or conclusion. The offbeat humor is dry and subtle, and it’s so very Cronenberg. Crimes of the Future isn’t so interested in plot but rather in pondering over philosophical questions. The worldbuilding is sparse and vague by design, and the pacing is a dreamy lull. [Cronenberg’s distinct vision], oddball characters, and soft-spoken yet dry sense of humor make this a welcome and deeply engrossing return to form.–Bloody Disgusting

“…funny, serious, and sexy all at once.”—Hyperallergic

“This is what the work of a visionary filmmaker looks like.”—Rolling Stone