“Luca Guadagnino „Väljakutsujad“ on teistmoodi spordifilm, kuigi on olemas kõik kohustuslikud komponendid: tahte triumf, igikestev rivaliteet, au­ahned ambitsioonid, antagonistlik tegelaspaar, füüsilised ja vaimsed väljakutsed, kiirus, dünaamika, keskendumine, aegluup.” Andres Maimik, Sirp

Zendaya kehastab peaosalist Tashi Duncanit, treenerist endist tennise imelast, kes on edu nimel kõigeks valmis. Tashi strateegia kaotuste lainele sattunud tšempionist abikaasa (Mike Faist, “West Side Story”) aitamiseks võtab üllatava pöörde, kui mees peab minema vastamisi oma kunagise parima sõbra ja Tashi endise kavaleri Patrickuga (Josh O’Connor, “La Chimera”). Kui minevik ja olevik põrkuvad ning pinged on laes, tuleb Tashil endalt küsida, mis on võidu hind. 

Luca Guadagnino (“Call Me By Your Name”) on suutnud koos oma truu operaatorist partneri Sayombhu Mukdeepromiga hakkama saada nii sisuliselt kui visuaalselt tõeliselt kõrgetel panustel teosega, mis paneb nii osalistel kui vaatajatel higi tilkuma ja püksid pingest püüli sõeluma. Pall pannakse kohe mängu, aga kas sul koht seansile on ikka võetud?

From visionary director Luca Guadagnino (Bones and All, Call Me by Your Name) comes a high-stakes game of jealousy, seduction—and fuzzy green balls. After a devastating injury, former tennis prodigy and force of nature Tashi (Zendaya) is forced to compete vicariously by coaching her husband (Mike Faist, West Side Story), a champion on a losing streak. Their worlds are turned upside down when he’s pitted against the washed-up Patrick (Josh O’Connor, The Crown)—his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend. As past and present collide and tensions rise, Tashi must ask herself what it will cost to win.

Nobody does sensual, nuanced romance quite like Guadagnino, and Challengers is no exception. From the back-and-forth games—both on the court and in the bedroom—to the three leads’ very entangled past, it’s both an exhilarating sports drama and a titillating love story. Zendaya is outstanding here, with a powerhouse performance that makes it easy to see why the other two corners of this competitive love triangle fight so hard for her attention.