Climax

In the film, a fearless dance crew takes a ride to an empty school for what should be a simple after hours rehearsal. The mood shifts quickly when a bowl of sangria, spiked with unknown drugs, takes center stage and the night spirals into danger. As the first intoxicated rumbles fade into something darker, the performers realize the space around them is closing in and the line between camaraderie and suspicion blurs. The troupe moves through empty hallways, exchanging practiced moves for cautious glances, while the architecture itself feels alive and hostile. With time slipping away and no rescue in sight, they must stay alert, figure out who did this, and survive the spiraling night before the threat catches them off guard.

Directed by Gaspar Noé, Climax is an original screenplay released in 2018. The film showcases a bold, kinetic visual approach typical of Noé and features Sofia Boutella, Romain Guillermic and Souheila Yacoub among the cast, with a pulse pounding tempo that mirrors the dancers' intensity.

Box office performance was modest, with worldwide gross not widely reported. The film found a niche audience in art house circuits, drawing attention for Noés approach to crowded sonic spaces and long takes, which sparked discussion among critics and fans alike.

The film is remembered for its bold staging and the way the dance company becomes a pressure cooker on screen. Its relentless rhythm, stark lighting and sensory assault sparked conversations about how horror can fuse performance art with genre cinema, influencing discussions about the boundaries between dance and film.

Critics were divided, yet many praised the filmmaker's command and how the story probes group dynamics under pressure. The film leans into hedonism, fear, survival and the fragility of trust when chaos erupts, offering a stark look at collective behavior under extreme stress.