Challengers is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video, and the $94 million sports movie starring Zendaya is one of the year’s best new releases, making it a must-watch. Call Me By Your Name director Luca Guadagnino’s new sports romance film follows a love triangle of tennis players over the course of several years in their lives, examining their power dynamics at work on and off the court. The spicy drama earned immediate critical and audience acclaim, with an 88% score on Rotten Tomatoes, praising the Challengers cast for their performances and intense chemistry.
Luca Guadagnino’s films have consistently been met with divisive responses, and Challengers’ 73% audience score is no different. In this instance, the critics are worth listening to, especially for fans of the director or any of the actors involved, all of whom are at their best. It’s Zendaya’s first major movie star role outside of her franchise appearances, and Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist prove they’re among the most exciting up-and-coming actors.
For fans of…
- Luca Guadagnino movies like Call Me By Your Name, Bones and All, and Suspiria.
- Zendaya (MCU Spider-Man trilogy, Euphoria, Dune 2), Josh O’Connor (The Crown), Mike Faist (West Side Story).
- Romantic thrillers like Match Point and The Dreamers.
DID YOU KNOW: The iconic
Challengers
churro scene with Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist was unscripted.
Challengers Is Now Streaming On Prime Video – Why You Should Watch It
Challengers Was Previously On Starz
Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers has been hailed as one of the best movies of 2024 for good reason, as it’s an entirely unique cinematic experience. It’s hard to pinpoint any movies that are like it, as it blends elements from different genres and narrative styles in such a distinct way. In terms of an erotic thriller, it’s as gripping and sexy as classics like The Dreamers. In terms of a romance surrounding a love triangle, it’s as exciting to form opinions and take sides in Challengers as it is in Bridget Jones’s Diary or The Favourite.
Not to mention the high-octane, heavy-hitting tennis scenes that are even more intense and riveting than those in the Oscar-winning King Richard. This movie has it all and fulfills every category to the highest capability. The dynamic between the three central characters carries the movie, constantly keeping the audience on their toes, trying to examine the complex feelings all three feel for one another. Challengers excellently balances naturalistic characters, with nuanced emotions and motivations, with moments of intense melodrama that feel larger-than-life, such as the hotel room kissing scene.
While the script is undoubtedly sharp, much of the credit for each of the leads’ characterizations goes to the cast. Zendaya, O’Connor, and Faist all bring their A-game, making Challengers an opportunity to see some of the decade’s brightest young movie stars showing off their talent. Each of the trio is exceptional to watch, but Josh O’Connor is particularly hard to take the eyes off of, with his character’s fiery personality both enraging and breathtaking. He’s the sort of character that will blur the line between the viewer’s love and hatred in a uniquely enjoyable way.
Lastly, praise for Challengers couldn’t go long without mentioning the film’s beating heart: the musical score by Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor. For anyone who loves powerful movie music, their techno score is truly a masterpiece that embellishes the film, both on and off the court. There are great musical scores, and then there are films that utilize music to add an irreplaceable layer to the aesthetic.
”
Art and Patrick are known as Fire and Ice in the tennis community, but what begins as playful competition over wunderkind Tashi becomes a 13-year-long battle on and off the court brimming with sexual tension, bisexual chaos, and enough looks of scathing disdain from Zendaya to make you feel bad for the rest of your life. Guadagnino amps everything up to eleven here — Challengers is visceral and exhilarating, power dynamics shift with the force of tectonic plates, and fights in hotel alleys and college dorms are as hard-hitting as the tennis matches staged like action scenes.
” –
Graeme Guttmann
,
Screen Rant’s Challengers Review
Zendaya Gives One Of The Best Performances Of Her Career In Challengers
Zendaya Steps Away From Major Franchises And Proves She’s Here To Stay
Between the Dune and Spider-Man movies, Zendaya has planted her face in front of millions of film audiences, but Challengers is the first from the 28-year-old actress to generate serious performance buzz. It wouldn’t be a huge surprise if Zendaya received her first Academy Award nomination for the movie, given the popularity surrounding the role. Before Challengers, the HBO series Euphoria was likely her best performance, but Zendaya’s best movies have been added to with some major contributions in 2024.
|
Key Stats |
Challengers |
|---|---|
|
Box Office |
$94 Million |
|
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Score |
88% |
|
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
73% |
|
IMDb Score |
7.2/10 |
5 Other Spicy Thriller Movies On Prime Video
- Match Point (2006)
- Basic Instinct (1992)
- Drive-Away Dolls (2024)
- Saltburn (2023)
- Suspiria (2018)
