FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://movieswetextedabout.com/challengers-movie-review-luca-guadagnino-goes-deep-beyond-the-baseline/ "Challengers transcends the limits of its tennis-centric premise to delve deep into the complexities of human relationships and personal desires. Luca Guadagnino’s meticulous filmmaking and metaphoric storytelling, coupled with the stellar, fervorous performances of Zendaya, Josh O’Connor, and Mike Faist, propel viewers into a world where the lines between love and competition blur with tantalizing intensity, sexual tension, and an electrifying score. With its potent blend of passion, intimacy, narrative and character depth, the film never stops reminding us that the most captivating stories lie beyond the boundaries of the tennis court." Rating: A-

A lot of fun, is <em>'Challengers'</em>. First of all, I gotta say, the proper poster is so good! Thankfully, the movie matches. I enjoyed my time watching this one, I do have some (very) minor issues with the pacing and music (that blaring club track is a bit much) but in truth they evaporate given how high quality the rest of the film is. The cast are great. Zendaya is the obvious star of the 131 minutes, she is top notch throughout. Josh O'Connor and Mike Faist are just as impressive though, they more than hold their own alongside Zendaya. I've seen O’Connor before in TV's <em>'The Crown'</em> so I'm not all that surprised or anything, though this is the first time I've see Faist act. Aside from the earlier noted track, the music is overall excellent though. I also like how the tennis is portrayed, I'm only a casual viewer of the sport but it all felt believable in that regard. I think the run time could've been trimmed a tad, while the amount of different timelines is perhaps a little excessive. Again, mind, these are not major concerns of mine, just worthy of noting. A terrific flick, no doubt!