PILLION – Review by Kat Hughes
Alexander Skarsgård rose to fame playing vampire bar owner Eric on the television show True Blood. Since then, the Swedish star has become one of the most interesting actors, routinely switching between high profile projects such as Tarzan and The Northman, to films that fully embrace the independent spirit and weird such as Brandon Cronenberg’s Infinity Pool. For his latest film, Pillion, he takes on the role of a strict biker, Ray, who undertakes the position of Dom in his new relationship with Harry Melling’s mousy submissive Colin.
Directed by first-time filmmaker Harry Lighton, Pillion is a wonderfully sensual, sensitive, and humorous jaunt through the world of dominants and submissives. It is a topic that was tackled in the Nicole Kidman starring Babygirl, but Pillion presents a more interesting and sexy portrayal of its overhyped (and rather vanilla) counterpart. The dynamic between Skarsgård and Melling is electrically charged, and right from the first time they meet, doused in erotic frisson. Even when the pair aren’t together on screen, the bond between Colin and Ray is felt. The connection is – like in life – messy, complicated, and for Colin at least, comes complete with a distinct list of rules that must be obeyed. Watching the new-to-the-kink scene Colin get his head around the world is beautiful to witness and Pillion is as much a coming-into-oneself story as it is anything else.
What makes Pillion so intoxicating is its tone. Lighton effortlessly flits from brooding and dangerous, to mild and tender, never forgetting that comedy is the key to the human condition. Despite the more intense narrative components and graphic sex scenes, Pillion has an overriding sense of humour, the film generating far more laughs than it suggests on paper. These moments of comedy soften some of the harsher parts of Pillion, making for a softer viewing experience that washes the audience and hooks them into the characters. Pillion is one of those few films where the viewer leaves yearning to spend more time with the characters, and one could happily watch a whole extra hour of this relationship on screen. Continue reading.
