A controversial sci-fi thriller movie on Netflix is climbing up the streaming charts

Stephen Porzio

Despite its 18 rating, the film looks to be finding an audience on streaming.

Infinity Pool, a recent sci-fi horror thriller that stirred some controversy upon release, has recently been added to Netflix and is climbing up the streaming charts.

The 2023 film stars Alexander Skarsgård (Succession) and Cleopatra Coleman (Cobweb) as James and Em, a wealthy couple holidaying at an all-inclusive resort on the fictional island of La Tolqa.

Guided by the seductive and mysterious Gabi (a scene-stealing Mia Goth, Pearl), the couple breaks the rules of the resort and ventures outside its grounds – during which time, James hits someone with his car.

To his horror, James discovers that the punishment for this crime on the island is death.

That said, the country has a unique system of justice reserved for foreign nationals.

For a hefty fee, James is allowed to have a clone of himself rapidly grown to stand in for his execution. However, this opens the door for more unexpected horrors…

Written and directed by Brandon Cronenberg (Antiviral, Possessor), Infinity Pool uses its sci-fi horror premise to cleverly satirise the type of uber-wealthy people who travel to exotic locations to engage in debauchery with little consequences.

It’s the movie’s depiction of such debauchery though that caused a bit of a stir upon release, with the film initially being handed the rare NC-17 rating in the US.

This was later downgraded to the more regular R rating after some re-edits.

Also earning an 18 rating from IFCO – the Irish Film Classification Office – the organisation later received a complaint about Infinity Pool from a viewer, who referred to it as “pornographic”.

Holding an 87% score on Rotten Tomatoes, Infinity Pool earned very positive reviews upon release from critics.

And now it’s finding a new audience on streaming, ranking number two on JustWatch’s weekly movie streaming chart for Ireland – landing just behind Reese Witherspoon and Will Ferrell’s comedy You’re Cordially Invited.

You can read a sample of some of those positive write-ups for Infinity Pool below:

Chicago Sun-Times: “Goth goes all-out as the manipulative and psychotic Gabi; at times it’s as if she’s channelling Robert De Niro’s Max Cady…”

Independent (UK): “Blood-churning moments are combined with a depth of characterisation you don’t always get in more conventional horror fare. In its morbid and provocative way, the film is often funny but it’s thought-provoking and very creepy too.”

iNews.co.uk: “Combining sly social commentary, mind-bending hallucinogenic orgy sequences, and a tinge of sci-fi body horror, Infinity Pool aims squarely at wealth and the desiccated morals that come with the power of money.”

Observer (UK): “It may not be for everyone, but I dived deep into Infinity Pool – twice – and enjoyed the hell out of the experience.”

Time Out: “It’s one hell of a twisted ride with a troupe of truly awful characters as our guide. It’s damn-near unmissable and, from a safe distance, addictive as all hell.”

How to watch Infinity Pool

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Infinity Pool is streaming on Netflix in Ireland and the UK.

If you want to watch it but want to save the cash, you could use this technique with an Amazon Fire Stick to save money.

The trick is something called ‘leapfrogging’, which is a way to skip between shorter, cheaper subscriptions to watch what you want to watch without signing up for expensive year-long contracts.

For example, you can get a basic Netflix package for €8.99, and stream what you want to watch via your Fire Stick and cancel it before your next bill.

You can then take advantage of the free trials of other services without signing up for them, all from the same place on your Fire Stick, so it’s super easy and convenient!

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