Director Luca Guadagnino had been helming films for quite some years before his really came to attention with his 2017 film ‘Call me By Your Name’ starring Timothee Chamalet and Armie Hammer that saw the former Oscar nominated but with the latter’s career collapsing in controversy for his extra curricular activities. But the film did win an Oscar for its screenplay. Its subject matter of a seventeen year old student’s romance with an older man was not without controversy and Guadagnino did not shy away from future controversy with his follow up film a remake of the giallo classic ‘Suspiria’, which drew a mixed reaction, which he followed with ‘Bones and All’ a cannibal film that greatly divided audiences and bombed at the box office despite Chalamet in the lead role. But his next film would be a starry three hander about a threesome romance in the world of aspiring tennis stars the Challengers Blu-Ray / DVD is now on release.
Led by Zendaya whose own star had been on the ascent with the well regarded Spiderman trilogy and was joined by Josh O’Connor who had made such an impact in ‘God’s Own Country’ and the trio was completed with Mike Feist BAFTA nominated for Spielberg’s version of West Side Story.
Written by Justin Kurotzlkes, his first feature film script to be made, the film saw Zendaya as Tashi Duncan, a former tennis prodigy turned coach and a force of nature who makes no apologies for her game on and off the court. Married to a champion on a losing streak (Mike Faist), Tashi’s strategy for her husband’s redemption takes a surprising turn when he must face off against the washed-up Patrick (Josh O’Connor) — his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend. As their pasts and presents collide, and tensions run high, Tashi must ask herself, what will it cost to win. Read our review HERE
The film was intended to open the 2023 Venice film festival but its release was delayed due to the SAG strike and was finally released in Spring 2024 to much acclaim. It earned $94m at the worldwide box office and deserved to earn even more. Stylishly shot with some quite brilliant moments it had an ambiguous ending intended to instigate audiences post-film debate. Like the best sports films the sport was not what the film was about and the twisted love story was at the centre of it all with a scene between the two male stars hinted at in the trailer that in the film justified the need for an intimacy co-ordinator.
Challengers is well worth a watch but its release on blu-ray / DVD is a disappintment because whilst the film itself is good the disc itself is vanilla in the extreme with no bonus feature whatsoever. No EPK of the three leads and director or even the trailer which at the very least the film deserved. That aside all three leads are excellent and director Guadagnino’s Hollywood films have always been worth a look and Challengers is no different in what is one of 2024’s best films.
Related feature : ‘Suspiria’ reviewed
Related feature : UK audience go berserk at the Spiderman No Way Home premiere when this happens!
Here’s the Challengers trailer …….
