Luca Guadagnino Applauds Cronenberg's Vision
Not every year sees a movie that manages to shake up both audiences and fellow filmmakers, but in 2022, Crimes of the Future did just that, at least for director Luca Guadagnino. Guadagnino doesn’t throw his words around lightly, so when he called David Cronenberg’s film “the best movie of the year,” people took notice. He wasn’t just being polite or ticking boxes; he singled out Cronenberg’s return to form, spotlighting how the film manages to be both “meditative” and “horrific”—a blend that’s hard to pull off.
For those who know Cronenberg, this endorsement felt like a long-overdue nod. After over two decades away from his signature body horror style, the Canadian director came back swinging. Guadagnino picked up on this, describing the movie as “visionary” and “eloquent.” No small praise, especially coming from a filmmaker whose own movies—think ‘Call Me By Your Name’—are celebrated for their emotional intensity and visual storytelling. Guadagnino’s appreciation is more than just fanboy enthusiasm; he’s recognizing a master at work, someone who’s influenced a whole generation of filmmakers with his fearless approach to storytelling.
Cronenberg’s Return to Body Horror and Existential Themes
What makes Crimes of the Future stand out, according to Guadagnino, is how it stitches together the grotesque and the philosophical. Cronenberg has always had a knack for exploring what happens when our bodies and minds cross wires. Back in the 1980s and 90s, films like ‘Videodrome’ and ‘The Fly’ pushed the envelope on what horror—and sci-fi—could say about being human. But then Cronenberg shifted gears, tackling psychological drama in movies like ‘A History of Violence’ and ‘Eastern Promises.’
Fans who missed the days of out-there body horror finally got what they’d been clamoring for with this movie. Guadagnino described Crimes of the Future as a return to Cronenberg’s roots, only now with even more depth. This isn’t just about shocking people with bizarre mutations or surgical transformations. There’s a philosophical layer—questions about identity, art, and what it means to change physically and emotionally—woven through a story that’s as creepy as it is thought-provoking.
Guadagnino’s choice of words matter here: “visceral physicality” and “philosophical inquiry.” The film isn’t afraid to challenge the viewer, forcing us to look at the sometimes unsettling relationship we have with our bodies. That’s been a Cronenberg trademark from the beginning, but it hits differently now, especially in a world where technology and biology are getting ever closer. Guadagnino recognizes how this film lands at just the right moment, blending art and horror for viewers who want more than a cheap thrill.
It’s not every day you see one acclaimed director so openly champion another’s work. But with Guadagnino backing Crimes of the Future as 2022’s boldest movie, it’s clear that Cronenberg’s loyalty to his vision still leaves a mark—not only on moviegoers, but on the people shaping cinema right now.
