Can a film truly capture the sensation of dying and the cycle of reincarnation?

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Gaspar Noé spent fifteen years developing Enter the Void, a psychedelic melodrama that attempts to simulate the afterlife. Shot entirely from a first-person perspective, the film follows a drug dealer’s soul as it drifts through Tokyo, observing his sister and eventually witnessing his own rebirth in a surreal, neon-drenched loop.

Director Gaspar Noé conceived the project during his adolescence, fueled by an interest in mortality and his own experiences with hallucinogens. Inspired by Robert Montgomery’s 1947 film Lady in the Lake, Noé committed to a first-person perspective to depict the afterlife. The production, which cost 12.38 million euro, was finally realized after the commercial success of his 2002 film Irréversible. Principal photography occurred in Tokyo between October and December 2007, utilizing complex crane shots and practical lighting to maintain the immersive, dreamlike visual style.

The narrative is loosely structured around The Tibetan Book of the Dead, exploring the soul's search for reincarnation after the protagonist, Oscar, is fatally shot by police. Noé, who rejects religious dogma, frames the film as a drug-induced hallucination rather than a literal spiritual journey. The visual language relies heavily on computer-generated imagery, with every scene featuring digital enhancements to blend studio sets, helicopter footage, and location shots into a seamless, hovering experience. The film’s color palette—avoiding blue to signify its departure from traditional dream tropes—uses programmable disco lights to shift moods through orange, purple, and green hues.

Critical reception was sharply divided upon the film's release. While some reviewers praised its technical mastery and hypnotic sensory impact, others dismissed it as tedious or puerile. The film’s distribution was equally complex; the version released in the United States and the United Kingdom in September 2010 was cut by one reel, removing several sequences including an orgy and the protagonist's visit to a morgue. Despite its mixed box office performance, the film remains a significant experiment in cinematic perspective, pushing the boundaries of how audiences perceive time and consciousness on screen.

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