15/11/2023 - Triin Ruumet’s stylish sophomore feature is an explosion of rage and a display of visual acrobatics, yet the core essence gets lost amidst all the narrative somersaults

Triin Ruumet’s (The Days that Confused [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Triin Ruumet
film profile]) dense Dark Paradise [+see also:
interview: Triin Ruumet
film profile], competing in the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival’s Baltic Competition, might divide viewers into two opposing camps, but whether you love it or loathe it, it definitely sparks conversation.

The film opens with an open-casket wake. The deceased, a handsomely suited man called Martin, is the grieving Karmen’s (Rea Lest) beloved father. Quickly, we come to understand that Karmen's perception of her dad was far from what he was like in reality. Her rage manifests itself in many ways, but is ultimately unleashed on her distant and shy half-brother Viktor (Jörgen Liik), as she disfigures his face during a drunken hot-tub baptism.

It’s hard to sympathise with daddy’s rich princess. Because there is no solid backstory, Karmen’s actions come across as the futile rebellions of a spoiled brat whose carefree life is slipping away. Yes, she’s confused, shaken and internally conflicted. But it seems that grief becomes an excuse to justify her hedonistic lifestyle and utter disregard for others.

While consensually kinky, her relationship with Renee (Juhan Ulfsak) is toxic and abusive. A morning-after conversation illustrates their relationship dynamic: he says that he prefers sexy brunettes, and she replies that she enjoys the distance between them. Karmen likes being beaten and strangled by Renee, yet the true masochism lies in her hiding her need for intimacy behind a chilled and nihilistic façade.

Karmen is surrounded by other narcissistic peers who cleanse their souls in shamanistic therapies and show off their mental agility by spouting soppy philosophical views on the inexistence of normality. They form a background noise but fail to become fully rounded characters. Are they deliberately exaggerated and banal, or is the film deadly serious?

Although deceased, Martin's presence endures, and he remains an idol. His financial legacy further complicates Karmen’s already strained relationship with her mother. Considering the historical background of the wild and corrupt 1990s in the post-Soviet countries, it is safe to presume that Martin acquired his wealth illegally. His many framed pictures feel like an altar, his tombstone – a destination of pilgrimage for both siblings.

For Viktor, who apparently grew up without Martin, a photograph of the latter on a motorcycle gives rise to a legend. Having to go through life with a swastika and tattoos of male genitalia (the result of Karmen’s rough baptism), Viktor’s dormant sociopath is released: he terrorises Karmen, adjusts the tattoos in order to resemble a Satanist, and violently immerses himself in the skinhead and motorbike scene. Driven by humiliation and sibling rivalry, Viktor oozes vengeance, which makes him a better-motivated character than Karmen, but all that revengeful energy goes up in flames in the film’s grand finale. Lest and Liik form a magnetic tandem with their fearless acting also managing to fill in some “content gaps” in their respective heroes.

Production designer Matis Mäesalu and costume designer Liis Plato do some commendable and detailed work in crafting the film’s postcard-like aesthetic. The punkish soundtrack and vigorous tempo paired with the decorative visuals mimic an edgy music video.

DoP Erik Põllumaa’s dynamic camera work contributes to the trippy, surreal flair. On screen, the life of each sibling has a distinctive look. Vibrant colours, and a psychedelic and nightmarish atmosphere dominate scenes featuring Karmen, while Viktor’s parts have a darker, campier tone, with his storyline taking place within the post-Soviet interiors and dingy garages.

Feeling chaotic and lacking in nuanced undertones, Dark Paradise elicits mixed feelings. It wants to be a millennial coming-of-age tale, but form triumphs over content and psychological depth. However, it is a daring film, capturing how black and white the world might seem when you are young, drunk and romanticise total self-destruction.

Dark Paradise is a co-production between Estonia’s Three Brothers and France’s Chevaldeuxtrois.