Italian film director Luca Guadagnino is back and better than ever. Known for the steamy, perplexing romanticism and elegant visuals of “Call Me By Your Name” and “Bones and All,” the auteur filmmaker is taking his signature style to the sports world.
“Challengers” is an intoxicating, unapologetically sexy and delicately shot cinematic romp. In an audacious swing for the fences, Guadagnino effortlessly blends nail-biting tennis matches, uproarious melodrama and inventive camerawork. Tennis has never been so exhilarating.
When childhood best friends and upcoming tennis duo Art and Patrick (Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor) cross paths with young phenom Tashi Duncan (Zendaya), their lives become a knotted web of jealousy, lust and betrayal. Cutting back and forth between past and present, the story weaves through different chapters of the trio’s tangled love triangle.
Guadagnino’s take on non-linear storytelling brings an intense, bubbling energy to the film. Although the story is tightly confined to three individuals, its sprightly pace and layered ferocity render every line and interaction as explicitly high-stakes. “Challengers” seduces you into its contorted structure so effectively that it feels impossible to look away. The ending is a crowning release of pent-up pressure and emotion, unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.
Zendaya’s performance is on fire, scorching the screen with superstar power. She convincingly captures Tashi’s complex and bewitching allure, consuming Art and Patrick’s minds and tarnishing their tight-knit dynamic. Not even two months removed from her turn in “Dune: Part Two,” Zendaya hands in her greatest performance to date — an impeccable start to the year.
Faist and O’Connor are equally enchanting. Their boyish and occasionally intimate dynamic gradually fades away as Tashi’s company lingers. Anger, regret and resentment fuel their heated rivalry on and off the court, delivering what might be one of my favorite male relationships ever put to screen. Are they platonic? Who’s to say?
The camera work is incredibly creative, framing every bead of sweat and thrilling tennis rally. “Challengers” is riddled with ingenious point-of-view shots, capturing angles from every inch of the court. There is a scene where the tennis ball serves as the camera, shooting rapidly back and forth between Art and Patrick. Guadagnino’s repeated use of slow motion and acute close-ups depict romance and competition at their rawest — a flooring visual spectacle.
Marco Costa’s edit is snappy yet smooth, meshing seamlessly with the non-linear structure and frantic camera movement. Despite being so quick and loud, it never feels overwhelming or disorienting. The sound design is sleek and polished; every crack of the ball or squeak of a shoe rings throughout the theater.
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’s score bumps, thumps and pumps. Pulsating synths and bouncy piano melodies create a spirited, stressful atmosphere. My head banged and swiveled as my fists clenched my seat.
I had been looking forward to “Challengers” for well over a year, but never in my wildest dreams did I expect it to rock me at this level. Guadagnino’s vision is entertainment in its finest form and one of the freshest sports films ever made — a suspenseful, sensual and hilarious cinematic feast.
