Smoking Causes Coughing

Quentin Dupieux’s latest opens with two false starts. First, a French family on a road trip are distracted by Tobacco Force, a group of super-powered individuals who, once punching fails, excrete enough of various cigarette chemicals to cause immediate cancer in and/or explosion of their foes. Second, after celebrating this victory, Tobacco Force is told by their rat-like boss they must go on a mandatory bonding retreat before facing their next big bad. 

But are these Power Ranger knock-offs strong enough to take on the ultimate villain, superhero fatigue? Just about! Sure, Earth may be in peril, but the heart of Smoking Causes Coughing are the shaggy dog stories told around campfires and breakfast tables. These meandering horror shows smack of the mundane nihilism found in certain corners of the internet, without a trace of Joss Whedon smirk.

There must be psychic damage incurred by repeatedly defeating low-budget foes with equally low-budget effects, and a few opportunities for human depth (such as the families left behind on missions) are glossed over. But Dupieux’s deadpan presentation of gore, guts, and slime strengthens his absurdist credentials, and the cast’s understated delivery of each not-for-the-squeamish twist heightens the offbeat bits. At a refreshing and brisk 77 minutes, the chaos does not overstay its welcome. 

The bangs and whimpers are impeccably deployed in Smoking Causes Coughing, creating a film that will puzzle as much as it delights. If you're on board with Dupieux’s brand of nonsense, it’s a hit; if unfamiliar, it’s a great place to start.

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Released 7 July by Picturehouse; certificate 15