Back in July of 2023, Luca Guadagnino’s tennis love triangle film “Challengers,” starring Zendaya, faced a delay until 2024 due to labor disputes. Shock and disappointment was rampant within the film community. Set to premiere on the Venice Film Festival’s opening night and with a viral trailer already uploaded, anticipation was high for Guadagnino’s eighth feature. With the film finally gracing screens today, I’m confident in saying the wait is all worth it.
In the realm of sports movies, “Challengers” stands tall, better than its tennis counterparts with ease. 2004’s “Wimbledon” or 2017’s “Battle of the Sexes” only proves this point. From start to finish, “Challengers” grips viewers. It offers a cohesive narrative with immersive visuals that keep you on your toes from start to finish.
When I mentioned that I’d be catching an early IMAX screening of the film, I was met with understandably confused looks. It wasn’t a typical superhero blockbuster or an impressive “Oppenheimer”-type spectacle, but it’s perfectly tailored for this expansive canvas. It’s exactly the kind of movie you should see in IMAX during this action movie drought.
Guadagnino’s directorial prowess isn’t just evident in his distinctive style but also his collaborative approach. He thrives in the editing room, but his openness allows for the actors, composers and editors to shape the essence of the film. Here especially, each dialogue exchange feels like a thrilling tennis match. Every scene is filled with sweeping zoom-outs and rapid-fire cuts that add to the intensity of the narrative.
In the storytelling department, Guadagnino, best known for “Call Me By Your Name,” has a similar approach as Emerald Fennell (“Promising Young Woman,” “Saltburn”) in that they both have an understanding of what audiences want to see. Guadagnino is primarily a director: He hasn’t penned a script in 15 years. “Challengers” is the debut screenplay of Justin Kuritzes, spouse to “Past Lives” writer-director Celine Song. Kuritzes’ script is decorated with gems and unforgettable lines that are destined to be quoted for years to come. Each line is seamlessly conveyed from paper to screen and the characters are written with such care.
With the performances, Josh O’Connor, Mike Faist and Zendaya deliver exceptional Oscar-worthy portrayals and are perfectly suited for their roles. O’Connor is magnetic and Zendaya gives us a new career-best, but Faist stands out in particular: He leaves a lasting impression. His character is more laid back in terms of showiness, but there’s deeply resonating raw emotion brought straight to the forefront within the dialogue. It’s not the first time that Faist has been a topic of conversation: In 2021 the actor starred in Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” remake, which earned him critical acclaim and critical upset the next month when he wasn’t nominated for any awards.
It’s insane that Guadagnino, despite admitting in interviews to find tennis boring to watch, has crafted a film that takes on the sport with such care. This is why he’s so perfect to direct “Challengers:” He captures the beauty of the sport from a different angle than ever before. He delves deeply into the nuances of the game: In other sports movies, directors focus on orchestrating believable gameplay, but Guadagnino focuses on what the characters are thinking and how that affects the way they play. I cannot wait to revisit this film.
