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Aggro Dr1ft

Aggro Dr1ft
An armored assassin is seen in infared.
Theatrical release poster
Directed byHarmony Korine
Screenplay byHarmony Korine
Produced by
  • Judd Allison
  • Ron Eli Cohen
  • Olivier Gauriat
Starring
CinematographyArnaud Potier
Edited byLeo Scott
Music byAraabMuzik
Production
companies
Distributed byEDGLRD
Release dates
  • September 2, 2023 (2023-09-02) (Venice)
  • May 10, 2024 (2024-05-10) (United States)
  • June 27, 2024 (2024-06-27) (Worldwide VOD)
Running time
80 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$201,351[2]

Aggro Dr1ft (stylized in all caps) is a 2023 American experimental action crime film written and directed by Harmony Korine and starring Jordi Mollà and Travis Scott. Its plot follows an assassin on a mission to kill a demonic crime lord. The film is presented entirely in infrared photography.

Aggro Dr1ft had its world premiere at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on September 2, 2023. It appeared in various venues, before releasing in limited theaters for a week starting on May 10, 2024. It was released on international video on demand through Korine's production company's website EDGLRD.com on June 27, 2024.[3]

Premise

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“The film orbits around a melancholic assassin named BO (Jordi Mollà) as he prepares to vanquish a demonic crime lord in a Floridian realm of vivid pinks, blazing yellows, and deep purples. But the particulars of its minimalist plot are largely moot; the vibe is what’s paramount.”[4]

In the seedy domain of Miami’s criminal underbelly, a seasoned hitman (Jordi Mollá) embarks on the relentless pursuit of his next target. The movie is shot entirely through thermal lens as he navigates a twisted world where violence and madness reign supreme. Tensions unravel, leading to a psychedelic journey that blurs the lines between predator and prey. With a special appearance by Travis Scott.

Cast

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Production

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In July 2023, it was announced Harmony Korine had directed an untitled film shot entirely in infrared, with Travis Scott set to star, after previously collaborating on Circus Maximus which released that same year.[5] Korine stated at the Locarno Film Festival, "I am excited. I have never made anything like it. I was trying not to make a movie. I don’t know if it will be a scandal, but it will be its own statement."[6]

Release

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Aggro Dr1ft had its world premiere at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on September 2, 2023.[7] It also screened at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, 2023, and at the 61st New York Film Festival in the Spotlight Gala section.[8][9] The film was screened at the Los Angeles strip club Crazy Girls on February 7 and 8, 2024.[10][11][12]

The film was later presented in a "world tour" accompanied by audiovisuals and DJ sets, starting in Elsewhere in Bushwick, Brooklyn on April 16, before heading to London and Tokyo.[13] Eventually, the film would have a limited theatrical run in select cities from May 10 to 16.[14] The film was released internationally in video on demand format on June 27, 2024.[3]

Reception

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On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 42% of 38 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 3.5/10. The website's consensus reads: "Aggro Dr1ft's innovative and eye-catching visuals are largely undermined by a frequently inscrutable story that aims for provocation but too often frustrates and annoys."[15] On Metacritic, the film holds an average score of 47 out of 100 based on reviews from 15 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[16]

In a positive review, Mark Hanson of Slant Magazine wrote that the film "crafted an experience that’s worth tripping out to, cotton mouth be damned".[17] Peter Debruge of Variety gave the film a mixed review, writing that the film "is visually thrilling but somewhat tedious to sit through — better as wallpaper than the main attraction."[18] Bilge Ebiri of Vulture was more negative in his review. In response to Harmony Korine claiming that "he wasn’t trying to make a movie", Ebiri quipped "Well, he hasn’t."[19]

References

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  1. ^ "Aggro Dr1ft". Venice International Film Festival. July 4, 2023. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  2. ^ "Aggro Dr1ft (2023)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 7, 2024.Edit this at Wikidata
  3. ^ a b "EDGLRD on X:"AGGRO DR1FT streaming now @ http://EDGLRD.com"". X. June 27, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  4. ^ "Aggro Dr1ft". Toronto International Film Festival. 2023. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  5. ^ Pierce, Leonard (July 10, 2023). "Harmony Korine Has Secretly Directed a New Feature Starring Travis Scott". The Film Stage. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  6. ^ Bałaga, Marta (August 12, 2023). "Harmony Korine Teases 'Aggro Dr1ft' in Locarno, Says 'No' to 'Spring Breakers 2' During a Masterclass Crashed by Friend Gaspar Noe". Variety. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  7. ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (July 25, 2023). "Venice Film Festival Lineup: Mann, Lanthimos, Fincher, DuVernay, Cooper, Besson, Coppola, Hamaguchi In Competition; Polanski, Allen, Anderson, Linklater Out Of Competition – Full List". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  8. ^ "Aggro Dr1ft". Toronto International Film Festival. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  9. ^ "61st New York Film Festival Spotlight Announced". Film at Lincoln Center. August 17, 2023. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  10. ^ "When Does Travis Scott & Harmony Korine's 'AGGRO DR1FT' Come Out?". UPROXX. January 20, 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  11. ^ "Harmony Korine's 'Aggro Dr1ft' Will Screen in L.A. Strip Clubs". World of Reel. August 19, 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  12. ^ Brew, Caroline (January 19, 2024). "EDGLRD to Kick Off Experimental Tour for Harmony Korine's 'Aggro Dr1ft' at L.A. Strip Club". Variety. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  13. ^ Ghassematari, Shawn (March 23, 2024). "Harmony Korine Set to Launch an 'AGGRO DR1FT' World Tour". Hypebeast. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
  14. ^ Newman, Nick (April 9, 2024). "Harmony Korine's Aggro Dr1ft Sets Theatrical Run for May". The Film Stage. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
  15. ^ "Aggro Dr1ft". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  16. ^ "AGGRO DR1FT critic reviews". www.metacritic.com. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
  17. ^ Hanson, Mark (September 14, 2023). "'Aggro Dr1ft' Review: An Infrared Serotonin Shot to the Brain". Slant Magazine. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  18. ^ Debruge, Peter (September 2, 2023). "'Aggro Dr1ft' Review: Harmony Korine Plays With Our Heads in Hard Reset on Filmmaking Rules". Variety. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  19. ^ Ebiri, Bilge (September 2, 2023). "Harmony Korine's New Anti-Movie Aggro Dr1ft Looks Cool For a Few Minutes". Vulture. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
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