Challengers

Challengers is non-stop, it’s over-the-top, crammed with back-to-back shots of glorious/sweaty tennis triumphs, competitively-chomped churros, one sticky love triangle, and a billion little/big tense tests of faith. It’s dizzying, electric, hyper-energetic, totally unpredictable, and basically everyone says it deserves all the hype it’s gotten. Starring Zendaya front and centre alongside recent up-and-comers Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor – the pair personally responsible for the phenomena that was 2024’s “hot-rodent-man-summer” – Luca Guadagnino’s cinematic foray onto the court was a smash-hit. I can’t put into words exactly how this film makes you feel, but it’s something like: INSANE! It’s impossible to tear your eyes from the screen, and you won’t want to – because every single second offers something new (tennis-ball pov!). Following a cast of over-zealous, egotistical characters as they descend into frenzied, messy sports-mania, the Challengers trio constantly swing between the battling forces of love and ambition – and by the end, you’re wondering if any of this is really about tennis at all. Challengers strives to rile you up, stress you out, leave you sweating – and it’s certainly left its lasting legacy.

Martha Gibbs

In college, two aspiring tennis players (Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor) meet Tashi (Zendaya). Then the trouble starts. Luca Guadagnino’s latest is a hilarious, turbulent sports/love triangle movie, a game of power, influence and seduction as exciting and fast-paced as the sport Challengers is ostensibly about. I’ll be honest, I do not care about tennis, or most other sport, at all, but I was on the edge of my seat for the entirety of this thing (and it’s a decently long movie, too), every scene crackles with energy and power and it doesn’t release you until the credits roll. A real crowdpleaser, full of thrills and twisting romantic games – across its runtime, it never lets up or slows down for a second. Challengers is a bonafide experience, and a damn fun one at that. Go on, give it a swing.

Tomas Caldon