Nighttime screenings are rarely more appropriate than “Invasion of the Child,” Harmony Korine’s latest experimental, unconventional, video-game-like, sensory-assaulting film, which had its world premiere Saturday night in Venice to an 8.5-minute standing ovation.
Last year, Corinne left the Lido audience in shock and awe — and many of them leaving — with “Aggro Dr1ft,” which was filmed entirely in infrared and featured naked dancers and demonic crime lords shouting, “Dance, bitch!”
But with its new “Invasion of the Children” screening after the cinema, the must-see midnight movie (for those who dare or, more specifically, can get a ticket) in 2024 was about children. More specifically, a group of mercenaries disguised as children who invade the mansions of the rich and powerful.
Once again, the film is presented like a first-person shooter, made using artificial intelligence and video game engines, and features a soundtrack by Burial.
“Baby Invasion is a new, highly realistic multiplayer shooter that follows a group of mercenaries who use baby faces as tokens to hide their identity,” reads the official synopsis. “Players must break into the mansions of the rich and powerful without leaving anything behind, and must explore every rabbit hole before time runs out.”
The standing ovation for “Invasion of the Child” may not have been as loud as the one for “Agro Drive” in 2023, which ran over 10 minutes, making it — unofficially at least — the longest at the festival. But the ovation for that film may have had something to do with its star, rapper Travis Scott, making his first major film appearance.
Korine has been visiting Venice since his early years in filmmaking, having premiered his directorial debut, “Gumo,” at the festival in 1997. The film was initially poorly received by critics, but later received a special mention from the Venice International Film Critics jury. “Spring Breakers” also had its world premiere at Venice in 2012, where it won the Future Film Festival Digital Award.
