Matisse van Rossum’s review published on Letterboxd:
Luis Bunuel's existential masterpiece, The Exterminating Angel, tells the story of a score of wealthy members of society, who, after a lavish dinner party, discover that they are unable to leave the room they are in. Their artificial politeness and high class etiquette proceed to fall away they longer they are trapped, revealing the more cruel, animalistic, and savage aspects of human nature. This film is exceedingly intricate and is not something that can be viewed passively. Its premise is ingenious and Bunuel does a stellar job of weaving together a simultaneously intriguing and unsettling narrative. Sprinkled with the perfect amount of surrealism (a genre which I love), The Exterminating Angel is a film that will leave you with many questions, most of which you'll have to come to your own conclusions.
There's so much subtle symbolism and hidden meaning throughout this film that it's impossible to fully grasp after your first viewing. I know that I'll need to see it a couple of more times before I can even begin to fully understand it, but I was so intrigued throughout, that watching it again will be no chore. This was my first real exposure to Bunuel's work, the one exception being his collaboration with Salvador Dali, Un Chien Andalou, which I know is not particularly characteristic of his filmography. But I feel that The Exterminating Angel is an excellent introduction and it left me hungry for more. It's a superb commentary on the social class warfare that is so characteristic of the nineteenth and twentieth century and is a suitably barbed attack on the bourgeoisie and the church. It's one of those films that says a lot without saying much and is much deeper than it appears at face value. Bunuel does an excellent job of creating a claustrophobic environment that is so real that it feels like we are trapped in the room with the characters. Their descent into madness is so believable and effective that I found myself squirming in my seat a few times, sharing their discomfort.
The Exterminating Angel is a perfectly executed film, though it certainly isn't for those who just like to mindlessly watch movies. It requires a very active viewing in order to really appreciate what makes it such a masterpiece. It is beautifully written, paced, filmed, and acted. I enjoyed it immensely and look forward to watching it again to discover new exquisite details and experience it from new perspectives.