Follow TV Tropes

Following

Film / Kaboom!

Go To

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gregg_araki_kaboom.jpg
Kaboom is a 2010 American science fiction mystery fantasy comedy film written and directed by Gregg Araki and starring Thomas Dekker, Juno Temple, Haley Bennett, and James Duval.

A science-fiction story centered on the sexual adventures of a group of college students and their investigation of a bizarre cult, the film premiered at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival, where it was awarded the first-ever Queer Palm for its contribution to lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender issues.


Tropes include:

  • Ambiguously Gay: While Thor is clearly straight, various other cues leave Smith confused about this (his frequent use of deodorant, the neat, color-coding system for his flip-flops in his closet, etc.)
  • Apocalypse Cult: The New Order.
  • Apocalypse How: Planetary. The New Order's plan is to destroy the surface and all who live on it, with Smith to rule what is left as the Chosen Son. However, when the New Order's leader unleashes the nukes, it instead reduces the entire planet into space debris.
  • Armoured Closet Gay: Thor's friend Rex is just as stereotypically straight as Thor, using words like "fag" and insisting whenever he can that the is not gay, only for him to have a threesome with Smith and London as a birthday gift for Smith. Whether or not any of this was genuine since Rex was a member of the New Order is up for debate.
  • Big Red Button: The one Smith's father pushes to destroy the Earth.
  • Brutal Honesty: London has no problem berating Rex for coming too fast, and then telling him he's bad at oral sex afterward, giving him instructions about how to do it better.
  • Chivalrous Pervert: Despite his insatiable sex life, Smith is not a bad person. In fact, he tells London that making his partner cum is his kink.
  • College Is "High School, Part 2": Stella describes college as being an intermission between High School and the rest of their lives.
  • Do You Want to Copulate?: London simply asks guys if they want to sleep with her, and they eagerly agree after the incredulous initial reaction.
  • Erotic Film: A softcore-erotic Indie film with strong LGBT themes by noted New Queer Cinema director Greg Araki.
  • Everybody Has Lots of Sex: Most of the main cast are shown to hook up with someone.
  • Lipstick Lesbian: Stella and her girlfriend Lorelei both have long hair while mostly wearing feminine clothing, the latter especially favoring stylish dresses.
  • Lousy Lovers Are Losers: London is really unimpressed with Rex after she sleeps with him, as he doesn't last long ("I've had pelvic exams that lasted longer. What are you, 14?") and when she gives him a second chance by giving her oral sex he still fails at pleasuring her.
    London: It's a vagina, not a bowl of spaghetti!
  • The Poorly Chosen One: Smith is believed by the New Order to be their Messianic chosen one meant to rule the world after they destroy it in a nuclear holocaust. Before the cult could get Smith to safety however, the cult's leader sets off the nukes before Smith is brought to safety, destroying the planet entirely.
  • Psychic Powers: It is revealed that the New Order would take orphans and children who their parents give away that have "potential" and do a "procedure" that gives them psychic powers. Smith, Lorelei and Oliver are just three examples of this.
  • Really Gets Around: Smith and London spend much of the film hooking up with people (including each other). In his case, men along with women.
  • Renegade Splinter Faction: The Resistance are former members of the New Order that defected and fight to prevent their apocalyptic agenda from coming true.
  • "Shaggy Dog" Story: It really doesn't matter what could or didn't happen during the film's events, because it turns out that the nuclear explosives that were planned to be used to wipe out civilization are so powerful they literally blow the whole planet to pieces. Well, save events that kept the bombs from going off, in theory...
  • Speed Sex: London snidely tells Rex after he comes really fast as they're having sex that she's had pelvic exams that lasted longer.
  • Straight Gay: Smith and other gay or bisexual guys in the film don't show gay stereotypes at all.
  • Surprise Incest: In the climax of the film, it is revealed that Smith and London are half-siblings, both having the same father. This is a nasty surprise for them, since they've been boning regularly through the movie.
  • A Threesome Is Hot: Smith, London and Rex have a threesome during the film, as Smith's birthday gift.
  • Wicked Witch: Stella's girlfriend Lorelei is a woman with supernatural powers who, after Stella breaks up with her due to a mix of her insatiable sex-drive and an unstable, clingy personality, supernaturally stalks and tortures Stella. Later averted when it is revealed that she was actually a psychic, her powers and unstable personality a result of a procedure the New Order did to her.

Top