With Eddington, Ari Aster ventures beyond the realm of psychological horror to explore an unexpected genre: the contemporary western. But as always with him, unease lurks in every frame. In this politically charged epic, he orchestrates a modern tragedy against a backdrop of pandemic, disinformation, and ideological warfare.

The setting: a small, fictional town under quarantine, battered by wind and simmering tensions. Joaquin Phoenix plays a charismatic but manipulative mayor who relentlessly fuels conspiracy theories. Opposite him, an upright doctor, played by Pedro Pascal, tries to restore medical and moral truth to a community on edge. This duel isn't fought with a revolver, but with words, fiery speeches, and strategies of influence. Aster films this confrontation like a tense psychological western, slowly tainted by madness.

Visually, Eddington is stunning. The vast, dusty landscapes are reminiscent of Leone, but Aster infuses them with an oppressive, almost delirious atmosphere. The light fades, the music darkens, and the air becomes suffocating. The film offers a sharp critique of post-truth and social polarization. Through the figure of the doctor turned outcast, it questions our relationship to science, power, and fear.

Driven by two magnetic performances, this ambitious and deeply unsettling film stands out as one of the most powerful and contemporary narratives at the Festival. A psychological western, where collective tension replaces gunfire, and where silence is more frightening than noise.