Viewers shocked by ‘insane’ sex scenes in new movie Saltburn

There’s no shortage of extreme sex scenes in this new film – but one scene in particular has viewers screaming in horror. WARNING: Graphic.

There is no shortage of sex scenes in Saltburn, the shamelessly horny dark comedy from filmmaker Emerald Fennell, which is now in cinemas.

Prudes, be warned: This is not a movie for you. If you can’t handle a little cunnilingus, don’t bother with this one. Because those sex scenes are just warm-ups for Saltburn’s main event: grave humping.

Here’s the part where I warn you about spoilers: Do not keep reading this article if you haven’t yet seen Saltburn and don’t want to know about the major plot twists. Written and directed by Fennell — who already stirred up controversy with 2020s Promising Young Woman — Saltburn stars Barry Keoghan as a nerdy, quiet college student named Oliver at Oxford University in 2006.

Oliver is decidedly not rich, not hot, and not cool, but he longs to be in with the crowd of rich, hot, cool popular kids. He’s especially enamoured by the rich, hot, cool kid known as Felix, played by Jacob Elordi. Oliver manages to befriend Felix, despite his social stranding, but then tragedy strikes: Oliver’s deadbeat, alcoholic dad dies. Or at least, that’s what he tells Felix.

Actor Barry Keoghan in Saltburn.

Spoiler alert: Oliver is lying. His parents aren’t dirt-poor, drug-addicted degenerates like he told Felix. They’re perfectly nice middle-class folks, and his dad definitely isn’t dead. But Felix buys Oliver’s sob story. Out of pity, Felix invites Oliver to stay with his absurdly wealthy family over the summer, in the huge palace estate known as Saltburn.

It’s at Saltburn where it becomes clear to the audience that Oliver is not just a power-hungry little nerd — he’s a certified freak, seven days a week. He spies on his buddy masturbating in the tub. He performs oral sex on Felix’s sister, Venetia (Alison Oliver), while she’s on her period. He has a menacing sexual encounter with Felix’s cousin Farliegh (Archie Madekwe), all while threatening him to back off.

Alison Oliver as Venetia Catton in Saltburn. Picture: MGM and Amazon Studios

But Fennell saves her most scandalous sex scene for last. Second spoiler alert: Felix tragically and mysteriously dies on the night of Oliver’s birthday party. Oliver was the last person to be alone with Felix, and the two of them had a big fight over the fact that Oliver is a freaky little liar, so, yeah, it’s looking pretty suspicious.

Yet Oliver seems genuinely heartbroken over his friend’s death. After the funeral, he cries dramatically over Felix’s grave. He throws his body down onto the mound of dirt, his body heaving with sobs. It’s not a performance — there’s not another soul in sight. It’s sincere, full-body grief over losing a person that Oliver saw as his to possess.

Barry Keoghan has some of the film’s more graphic scenes.

Aussie actor Jacob Elordi also stars in the film. Picture: MGM and Amazon Studios

For a moment — as Oliver presses his tearstained face into the freshly dug earth — you don’t think the scene is going to go there. Then you remember what movie you’re watching. Of course it’s going to go there. Oliver strips off his clothes and slowly grinds his pelvis into the dirt. The camera pulls back to give us a wide view of what is going on: That man is humping a grave plot. There’s no question about what is happening. It’s filthy and perverted and messed up and taboo, and that’s what makes it so great.

just watched saltburn that was insane THE GRAVE SCENE

— ✩ (@cybervirgos) November 26, 2023

the bath scene isnt even the worst part of saltburn 😭 it’s the grave scene 💀 when I tell you everyone in the theatre gasped and was laughing

— lis ⁷ is in love with yoongi!!!! (@D228_) November 26, 2023

Too many people are talking about the bathtub stuff in Saltburn (2023) and not enough people are talking about THE GRAVE THING ??

— Grapie Deltaco 🇵🇷 (@grapiedeltaco) November 26, 2023

it's been two days and i still can't get THAT funeral grave scene from saltburn out of my head like please go away

— e (@prior_parker) November 23, 2023

At no point did I know where #Saltburn was going (especially during the grave scene) and that may just be the highest compliment.

— Nicholas Hautman (@nickhautman) November 26, 2023

Can we talk about the grave scene from Saltburn pic.twitter.com/EsJQxw5zFf

— g (@itsGsusBitch) November 24, 2023

I will never look at a grave the same way again #Saltburnpic.twitter.com/iDRZcnyoMq

— t20man (@t20man) November 25, 2023

Oliver’s desire to consume Felix transcends life. He’s still taking unearned pleasure from his beautiful friend, even in his death.

Before anyone starts crying about “unnecessary sex scenes,” the scene is necessary, actually, to show the audience that what Oliver felt for Felix was never love. It was infatuation, addiction, and obsession, but Oliver was never the victim. Oliver wanted to own Felix completely, to become him from the inside out. And yes, sex is part of his desire — just one more way to mark Felix as his. When it became clear to Oliver he would lose Felix, he took him away from everyone else, too.

But not without staking his claim one last time … by ejaculating on his grave. Talk about adding insult to injury.

This story originally appeared on Decider and is republished here with permission.

Originally published as Viewers shocked by ‘insane’ sex scenes in new movie Saltburn