Electrophilia – Review | Fantasia (2/5)

ELECTROPHILIA is a fantasy thriller from Argentina (org. title: Los Impactados). The movie opens with a woman getting struck by lightning before we follow her as she is forever changed. Read our full Electrophilia movie review here!

ELECTROPHILIA is screening at Fantasia 2024 and as a movie that is part fantasy and part body horror (of sorts), it makes perfect sense. This movie is from Argentina (org. title: Los Impactados) but the story is very universal and the plot intriguing.

I was not crazy about the way the lead character (the woman struck by lightning) was written, so this ruined it a bit for me. The actor did a good job, but I struggled to follow her logic and moral compass. As did she, one could argue.

Continue reading our Electrophilia movie review below.

When lightning strikes

There’s a thunderstorm in the opening scene of the movie, which results in the main protagonist being struck by lightning. Next, we see her wake up after having been in a coma for nearly six weeks.

She can remember most of what happened but still has a weird burning inside her body and a constant thirst. On her body is a lightning-shaped scar that runs the full length of her. A constant reminder that she was struck by the full force of nature’s electricity.

And now she is forever changed. Especially in regards to electric currents.

A touch of Cronenberg

As the story progresses and the woman gets in touch with a group of survivors who have all been struck by lightning as well, she starts experimenting. She craves feeling electricity run through her veins once again.

It does get a touch of body horror and feels somehow related to David Cronenberg’s Crash.

Including several scenes of a very steamy variety. What I don’t understand is the age difference between her and the man she “experiments” with. I don’t mean to be ageist, but it doesn’t feel very organic to me.

Electrophilia screening at Fantasia 2024

Electrophilia (org. title: Los Impactados) comes from director Lucía Puenzo, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Lorena Ventimiglia. I found the story and overall style fascinating and even liked the ending.

Writer-director Lucía Puenzo is a Cannes-awarded Argentinian filmmaker and novelist and her co-writer is Lorena Ventimiglia a painter. Apparently, it all began with a fascination with the Lichtenberg scars people can get when struck by lightning.

I loved all of this, but simply could not understand the main protagonist, which did impact my overall experience. A shame as the potential for something I woul’ve loved is there. Instead, I was fascinated, but never managed to truly feel the movie.

Electrophilia is reviewed as part of our Fantasia 2024 coverage.

Details

DIRECTOR: Lucía Puenzo
WRITERS: Lucía Puenzo, Lorena Ventimiglia
CAST: Moro Anghileri, Mariana Di Girolamo, Osmar Nuñez, Germán Palacios, Guillermo Pfening