Challengers: A Stylish Serve With Faults

Great art thrives on risk—pushing boundaries, forging its own path. Challengers, directed by Luca Guadagnino, certainly takes those chances, embracing a bold and kinetic energy. However, while the film dazzles with spectacle, it ultimately feels more like an aesthetic exercise than a fully realized story.

Zendaya’s casting was a clear draw for general audiences, and she delivers a compelling performance alongside Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor. The trio navigates their tangled web of passion and competition with palpable intensity. And while the film crackles with sexual tension, the story itself strains credibility, relying too often on convenient circumstances rather than authentic character motivation.

One of Challengers’ undeniable triumphs is its score. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross inject the film with an electrifying pulse—one that elevates every moment, intensifying the drama and keeping the momentum alive. It’s a shame their work was overlooked at this year’s Academy Awards because the score is, without question, one of the film’s strongest elements.

Visually, Guadagnino showcases his signature flair. The cinematography, at times, feels gimmicky, but there’s no denying the technical prowess behind it. The innovative POV shots—particularly the perspective of a tennis ball mid-match—add a unique visual punch. Love it or not, this film reaffirms Guadagnino’s status as a director with a striking eye for composition.

Where Challengers falters is in its narrative foundation. The characters’ choices often feel more like devices to move the plot forward rather than genuine, organic decisions. The film seems to work backward, crafting its ending first and then piecing together a story to justify it. The result is a movie that prioritizes style over storytelling cohesion.

Ultimately, Challengers is likely to resonate with younger audiences and those drawn to sleek, hyper-stylized filmmaking. For me, though, it struggled to commit—caught between realism and surrealism without successfully blending the two. If the entire film had turned out to be a dream, it might have actually been more believable.