In her rush to shock and provoke, Australian filmmaker Ana Kokkinos has leached the emotion from her erotic mystery "The Book of Revelation," winding up with a confronting but surprisingly bloodless look at an episode of abuse. The premise is provocative -- a male dancer is forced into sexual slavery by a trio of women -- but the film lingers too long on the scenes of imprisonment, turning them into a kind of soft-porn performance art and leaving the emotional aftershocks less satisfyingly explored. Art house audiences will appreciate the film's stylish veneer, courtesy of cinematographer Tristan Milani, and carefully framed compositions, as well as Paul Heath's funky, minimalist production design, but mainstream viewers will probably find the whole thing too pretentious.

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