Darren Aronofsky’s new film “mother!” defies description. On the outside, it may look like a home-based thriller filled with violence and terror, but that’s not the case.

The film is an allegorical gestalt of horror, drama, black comedy and surrealism. It’s a film about climate change, about religion’s effect on the human psyche, about the sacrifices of motherhood, and about the tortured soul of the filmmaker himself.

Trying to fit “mother!” within any singular category is impossible. It’s an ersatz horror film, too obtuse a drama and an unfunny comedy. But at the same time, it’s one of the most unconventionally dazzling films of the year.

Aronofsky has never been known for easily digestible films. “Requiem for a Dream” is a heartbreaking depiction of youth addiction, “Black Swan” is a pure psychological horror film about the life of a struggling artist and his 2006 film “The Fountain” was a sci-fi amalgamation of metaphysical, spiritual and magical elements amounting to a bizarre trip through time and space.

While “mother!” is at heart a confusing film, the surface story itself is as simple as it gets. The film follows Mother (Jennifer Lawrence) and her relationship with her husband, known only as Him (Javier Bardem). Him is a famous poet in the midst of a long-term writer’s block, and just

as he was about to give up on his next piece, a man shows up on his door (Ed Harris). This is

the solitary catalyst that sets the rest of the film

in motion, but it doesn’t rush. The first 30 to 40

minutes are slow, and for a while it’s easy to wonder, “where is this story going anyways?” Suddenly, a familial murder and broken gemstone plunge

the film heartily into biblical territory. And then hell starts to break loose.

The film’s three acts are notably different in tone. The first is a simplistic, albeit slightly surreal home drama, the second is an anxious but slightly optimistic period and the final half hour is a manic and frenzied set piece unlike anything else on the screen.

This third and final piece is the most controversial and problematic: indeed, there were five walkouts at the screening I went to. In minutes, the poet’s home shifts from a calm paradise to a visceral, cult-filled haven of violence, destruction and misogyny. It becomes a place where Kristen Wiig (who plays Him’s publisher) can casually gun down twelve people execution style. There’s one particular moment that will make people cringe from the depravity of it all; a wincing reminder of the horrors people are capable of.

Technically speaking, “mother!” is a masterpiece. Aronofsky and cinematographer Matthew Libatique shoot the majority of the film in claustrophobic closeup, where Jennifer Lawrence’s face takes up most of the screen. This small, stylistic shift allows the home to become obscured, so when the action begins to hit fever pitch, the viewer is lost in the chaos of it all. Jennifer Lawrence performs the hell out of her role, as her anger and fear just drips from the screen. It’s anxious, uncomfortable and wholly. The sound design is notable, too, with small touches here and there to add surrealism and discomfort to the mundane.

However, it’s not the who and what that makes the film the artistic triumph it is, but the why. The film is so vague, yet heavy handed, in its meaning that the audience is drawn to ask questions and interpret what they see in any number of ways. One could say that the film is an auto-critique of Aronofsky by himself—an artist who sends his actors through hell for the sake of the final product.

The film is also a potent allegory for the modern age, as humanity continues to desecrate the planet despite warnings and objections. A case could be made that the film is about religion, using the Bible itself as a template to critique and examine the frenzied interactions of organized belief systems. And, of course, it could be purely about motherhood, and how Mother sacrifices herself for the good of the family.

I have to say that the film is not for everyone. It’s shocking, disturbing, complex and difficult. For those with weak stomachs, avoid this film at all costs. However, for those of you who want to be forced to question and think, go see “mother!” as soon as possible. It’s a film that defies any categorization, a work of art by a singular visionary in his prime that forces conversation and inquisition. If you want to see a film this weekend that will make your mind race, “mother!” is the one. 4.5/5