Abwärts

From a simple premise involving four people trapped in an elevator, Carl Schenkel managed to draw out not only an excellent suspense thriller, but also a surprisingly layered depiction of masculine crises and frustrations. The elevator shaft becomes a minimalist metaphor for the capitalist system of lifelong careers and the three men of different ages mirror different phases of “productive” life, which inevitably collide through assertions of masculinity. Much more than the stuck elevator, the trapped characters are threatened by their blindness, touchiness, vanity and weakened self-assurance. The film’s sole female character finds herself trapped between the egos of these men, but despite the initial impression that she gives, she definitely does not prove to be a one-dimensional victim. Schenkel maintains the suspense and shifts the dynamic between the characters by gradually revealing their personal motivations and backgrounds. Beyond that, Jacques Steyn’s impressive camerawork also deserves praise. In addition to some remarkable exhibition shots, it manages to flawlessly escalate the atmosphere and develop the intensifying drama through effective framing in the confined space. (02.01.2022)