HOLLYWOOD—This was a movie I wasn’t sold on upon first getting teases for. I think Zendaya is a fantastic actress as she has proved recently in TV and cinema, notably her work on the HBO series “Euphoria” is unforgettable, she is a star on the screen. She does another fantastic performance here in “Challengers” which is a steamy thriller, but its no “Wild Things.” Yes, that is one of my favorite erotic thrillers of all time with so many surprises you would have never guessed them even if you tried.
With that said, the movie does have a scene that sizzles involving two of our main characters and when I witnessed it my jaw-dropped. It works because director Luca Guadagnino does some nifty work with the camera that captures all the sizzle and then shoots it from a direction that puts you in the direct POV of another character.
Zendaya stars as tennis star Tashi Rustin, who is a beast on the court. She has a very promising career until an injury to her leg takes all her dreams away. This is where her friendship with two upcoming tennis stars, Patrick (Josh O’Connor) and Art (Mike Faist) come front-and-center. Both guys are beyond smitten with this beautiful and I mean beautiful woman. They cannot take their eyes off this woman when she is on the tennis court or off the court.
It is particularly funny because Patrick and Art are chasing after the same woman, and we all knows how that will play out, only one of them will be victorious in the end, and the other will be bitter as a result and we see that battle playout through the movie. Look, I do not love tennis, but I found myself enamored watching this movie, especially the first hour which is just riveting and super exciting to watch.
I could NOT take my eyes off the screen at all. The dialogue, the drama, the flashbacks, the jumps between the present and past can be a bit chaotic, but it is done in a way that feels so linear you do not get lost as a viewer. O’Connor is a bit of the wild child of the two pals; he is blunt, he says what he feels and acts on his emotions. Art is a bit conservative and careful with what he says and does, his appearance matters to him, until it doesn’t.
You don’t truly root for any of the primary characters. You feel something for all three of them and that is captivating as a spectator. At times you’re rooting for Art, then you root for Patrick, then you’re rooting for Tashi, but her character is such an enigma. Who does she truly love? I couldn’t give you an answer. Yes, you know what she does, but her intentions are always in question to be honest. This feels like a game to Tashi and it’s all about who she wants to toy with at the given time. The character development is wickedly entertaining, and I loved watching Zendaya show even more of her acting chops in a meaty role.
Audiences will have a time watching “Challengers” because there is a lot you see that you don’t expect, but more than that you witness some very savvy characters evolve from the start of the movie until the end and who is the hero and/or villain is a question you will be left with.
