Dogman (2023)

This film by Luc Besson is not entertainment — it is a descent into the fractured psyche of a man destroyed by childhood abuse. The non-linear narrative gradually unfolds layers of trauma culminating in extreme violence and murders. The cruelty is visceral and sustained: the father's physical abuse, the protagonist's mental dissociation, and the violent acts he commits are filmed with stark realism. The cross-dressing depicted in the work is not an affirmation of identity but rather a symptom of the character's psychological fragmentation, one more mask in his mental collapse. The film does not celebrate the chaos it portrays, but neither does it offer redemption nor hope — it is a nihilistic portrait of the irreparable harm human cruelty can inflict. The technical quality and performances are notable, but the content is so disturbing that it vastly exceeds the bounds of what is appropriate for family consumption. The R rating falls short in warning of the true intensity of what is depicted. Not recommended for minors nor for adults without the fortitude for extreme psychological violence.