By Emily Malia
Tennis takes centre stage in this gripping and romantic tale, featuring Hollywood darling Zendaya. The “thrilling” movie is a hit with both tennis aficionados and newcomers to the sport.
Last year, Challengers set tongues wagging ahead of its 2024 release, with its steamy plot centring on a tumultuous love triangle involving an injured tennis star-turned coach, her world champion husband, and her tennis-pro ex-boyfriend. Zendaya shines as Tashi Duncan, a budding talent who captures the hearts of best mates Patrick and Art, portrayed by Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist.
The narrative kicks off in 2006 and tracks a tempestuous 13-year relationship among the trio as they juggle their sporting ambitions and tangled love lives.
By 2019, Tashi and her hubby Art are the ultimate power couple with a daughter, and he’s on the brink of a legendary Career Grand Slam. However, age is catching up with him, and in a bid to lift his spirits, Tashi enters him as a wild card in a Challenger event, unaware of the opponent he’ll face.
Culminating in a nail-biting match on the ATP Challenger Tour, the film consistently circles back to tennis and its hold over their pursuit of dominance, triumph, or affection. A Rotten Tomatoes critique raves: “Challengers is an original movie that I really enjoyed watching.”
“As a tennis player, I think that the tennis scenes are pretty well made. During tennis scenes, the camera movement is really intense; it catches your eye and makes it impossible to watch anything else.
“And the cinematography in general is really amazing, like the night car scene with the red light on Zendaya’s face, which is really cool. The plot is incredibly full of drama, which makes it really poignant. We must talk about the movie’s soundtrack; it makes every scene so much more intense.”
Directed by Luca Guadagnino, best known for his work on Call Me By Your Name, Challengers received high praise from those within the industry, as well as film fans themselves. This included four nominations at the 82nd Golden Globe Awards, where it went on to win Best Original Score, reports the Express.
The score is something that undeniably stands out throughout the film and adds a playful and unique element that viewers seem to love. One person shared: “I can’t believe they didn’t get all the awards for original music and best editing categories with this one. Guagagdino is my favourite among currently creative auteurs.
“Each time he surprises me and keeps me in his hold till the end. 3 remarkable lead performances, sensational music acting as the fourth lead and brisk editing keep pace with the high rhythm of the game. Smashing success about obsession, power and sincerity.”
Another viewer commented: “Playfully suspenseful. Musically addicting. Dramatically captivating. Yet so simple and honest. If only the ending wasn’t flat.”
Interestingly, you don’t have to be a tennis enthusiast to appreciate the sports drama. One spectator stated: “This is a movie I thought I’d never watch because I know practically nothing about tennis, but this is one of the most thrilling movies of 2024.”
Whether you’re looking for a bit of tennis action during the world-famous annual Wimbledon tournament, or fancy some sizzling romance on your telly, Challengers is available to stream now on Amazon Prime.