Infinity Pool

At the sunny seaside resort in Infinity Pool, guests are advised not to venture past the compound walls. Fortunately, the film itself is not confined to such traditional boundaries.

The latest creepy and atmospheric thriller from director Brandon Cronenberg (Possessor) is a muddled yet provocative dystopian nightmare layered with sociopolitical undercurrents about power, class, wealth, privilege, systemic oppression, and capitalist greed.

This deviously twisted science-fiction satire balances quirks and frights while finding its offbeat rhythm amid a beautiful but haunting exotic backdrop that conceals some disturbing secrets.

Fledgling author James (Alexander Skarsgard) is enjoying a posh beach vacation on a secluded island with his wife (Cleopatra Coleman), hoping to clear his mind and find artistic inspiration.

Instead, he becomes drawn to the overt flirtations of a fellow guest (Mia Goth), an actress whose older architect husband (Jalil Lespert) seems friendly enough.

Things change after the foursome’s ill-advised day trip leads to a tragic accident that lands James in jail, facing a potentially harsh penalty and a desperate high-tech option to avoid it, given the couple’s socioeconomic status.

As he uncovers a corrupt legal system with a callous disregard for the working class, James is forced to confront a past consumed by guilt, regret, and self-doubt. Plagued by hallucinations that blur the lines between reality and fantasy, he’s thrust into a surreal odyssey with visceral elements of body horror consistent with the Cronenberg legacy.

Not for the squeamish, it’s the most ambitious film yet from the son of legendary Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg. Initially bogging down in melodrama and misdirection, his sharply crafted screenplay features some throwback Hitchcockian influences — or, for a more contemporary reference, “The White Lotus” — while simmering with sexual tension.

Meanwhile, Cronenberg’s visually striking approach mixes extreme closeups with angled wide shots to enhance the sense of unease, even as the film overall maintains a chilly emotional distance.

A fully committed portrayal by the versatile Skarsgard (The Northman) anchors the film as it evolves into a dark character study of a man searching for his moral compass through a downward spiral of depravity.

Although its outlook on humanity is more about cynicism than optimism, at least Infinity Pool has substance beneath the shock-value savagery.

Rated R, 117 minutes.