After NC-17 rating reductions, Cronenberg: Infinity Pool is not “dramatically” different

Director Brandon Cronenberg is reassuring fans that the rating change of Infinity Pool doesn’t present a dramatic difference.

Brandon Cronenberg’s latest, Infinity Pool, has garnered a lot of attention over the past few months. Before Infinity pool made its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival this year, the main focus was on its NC-17 rating. Fans may be concerned that the MPA has changed the rating to an R. But Cronenberg is assuring everyone that there isn’t that much of a difference between the two versions, even supervising the cuts himself.

Brandon Cronenberg recently commented on the R rating versus the NC-17 rating of Infinity Pool, saying, “I wouldn’t say we shot a lot of stuff that isn’t in it. To be honest, it was surprising how much stuff made it through. It’s not a completely different film. There are some changes. There are some interesting shots in the R version that aren’t in the unrated version. It’s not as dramatic as you might think. I was responsible for both cuts.”

He said, “I am lucky to be able start with the film I want to make without having to consider those things, and to have a director’s cut. You have to be pragmatic when you’re in film because there are so many forces that shape what you do. You have to be pragmatic about it when you’re in film because there are so many weird forces shaping what you’re doing.”

Infinity Pool originally received its NC-17 rating due to “some graphic violence and sexual content.” After an appeal, the rating was upheld. The R-rated version is the one shown in theaters. The NC-17 version was seen at Sundance. It’s that cut that our own Chris Bumbray gave it an 8/10, saying, “For those who like to push the limits regarding this kind of thing, Cronenberg delivered a future midnight movie classic.” He also noted the rating change, writing, “Hopefully, the R-rated cut will only lessen the film’s impact a little because even though it’s going out censored.”

Of note, the father of Brandon Cronenberg, David, received an NC-17 rating for his controversial Palme d’Or-nominated Crash.

Are you looking forward to Infinity Pool regardless of its rating? Do you plan to see both the NC-17 and R-rated versions? Let us know in the comments section below.