Cruelty, masochism, parental abuse (in the painter's flashbacks) and schadenfreude of all kinds fuel this feverish op-art dream that turns on us at every corner.
Japanese filmmaker Sion Sono takes encouraging strides towards a more feminist outlook in Antiporno, his entry in film company Nikkatsu's ongoing roman porno reboot project.
Viewers seeking titillation are much less likely to be satisfied than those who'll appreciate this surreal, aesthetically bold gizmo as the latest left-turn in its creator's idiosyncratic career.