Following a car accident as a young girl Alexia (Agathe Rousselle) had a titanium plate inserted into her skull. As an adult she has a sexual proclivity to metal and is a serial killer. In an effort to escape capture she changes her appearance to that of a boy named Adrien who went missing ten years ago and is taken in by his father Vincent (Vincent Lindon). 

Taken at face value Titane is a film that seems outlandish and at times incomprehensible. We see a brief snippet of Alexia as a girl seemingly causing the accident that results in her titanium plate repair. There are allusions to a very difficult and possibly abusive relationship with her father. We see her brutally murder people with no remorse and then her having sex with a car resulting in a pregnancy that makes her leak oil. The violence in the first half of the film is repulsive in its short but sharp doses. The second half of the film however is completely different as it takes in Vincent’s attempts at redemption. Again there are allusions to a father failing his child. But this father wants a second chance. Peculiarity is never far away though with Alexia taking part in a rave in a fire station and learning heart resuscitation via the Macarena. 

All of what we see feels very much inspired by the sort of body horror that made David Cronenberg famous. Alexia leaking oil from her nipples and vagina, scratching furiously at her pregnant belly allowing her to insert her fingers and feel a metal plate below and the sheer fact that her impregnation was via sex with a car are reminiscent of many a Cronenberg film.  But as with Cronenberg films there are many interpretations of what this all means and if it is as literal as it appears. 

The performances from Rousselle and Lindon are very impressive throughout. Rousselle seemingly has to take her body to the limit throughout her performance as she appears nude many times with various prosthetics and make up effects. Her character is hard and unfeeling whilst Lindon has to evoke a sense of impossible loss whilst at the same time hoping that he can love this new son. 

Titane is a film that pushes its allegorical references to the absolute limit and perhaps is beyond explanation. Personally it seemed to me that Alexia’s presumed sexual abuse trauma at the hands of her father became associated with vehicles and she therefore saw her pregnancy through that lens. Whilst Vincent’s acceptance of her was simply borne out of a need to have a second chance at looking after his son. Again something that the film alludes to him failing at first time round. 

The thing that is so spectacular about the film though is that whilst there may be many interpretations to be had it is able to keep you thoroughly entertained as it unfolds. Regardless of where you might land on what it all means you will be enthralled as it plays out.