Directed by : Nicolas Winding Refn
Written by : Nicolas Winding Refn, Mary Laws, Polly Stenham
Starring : Elle Fanning, Jena Malone, Abbey Lee, Bella Heathcote, Keanu Reeves
Release Date : June 8, 2016
The first thing that I need to emphasize about "The Neon Demon" is that it is absolutely not something a lot of people will like. It's a bit on the artsy side in terms of direction, seems to be all style with no substance, and too self-indulgent. While the premise may seem to be very simple in appearance alone, the story telling deliberately relies on it's nuances a little too much. Many will likely find this movie to be very frustrating to watch, with a slow pace that will test most people's patience. Even if you understand what this movie is going for, you still may not like it. With all that said, I couldn't help but be riveted by this film.
There were several scenes in this film that I found myself incredulously asking "why am I seeing this?," to me going "OMG WHY THE HELL AM I SEEING THIS?!" for certain other scenes. Yes, there are scenes that you might find boring and tedious, and then there are scenes you will find absolutely shocking and disturbing, all in the context of this movie's underlying message. This movie is a commentary about our society's obsession on beauty, plus the power it gives people, and the destruction it can cause as well. In many respects, this is a cautionary tale about a societal problem that shouldn't be ignored. It's just framed in a very heightened reality, dream-like, dehumanizing and cynical version of the fashion and modeling world.
Despite this film's tendencies to split the opinions of the audience, there are two elements that I think the majority of people can agree on that is absolutely great about this movie. The visuals and the soundtrack. This is absolutely a beautiful movie through and through, with a soundtrack that completely sucks you into the film. If there's a third element about the movie that people should all agree on as well, then it's the great cast. Elle Fanning is absolutely captivating in the lead role, and does a great job with the task of giving us subtle glimpses to her character's psyche. Jena Malone also deserves praise for some of the things she needed to do on screen here. Plus Abbey Lee, Bella Heathcote, and even Keanu Reeves also played their roles well.
With "The Neon Demon," Director Nicolas Winding Refn continues to showcase his talent as a visionary filmmaker. Like his other films, this can be rather polarizing. If you're the kind of person who is inclined to like these kinds of darkly toned art films, then you should check this out (avoid the spoilers from the trailers). However, if you're not part of the target audience, then steer clear away from this movie.
lovedit ENJOYED IT itsokayitsmehitsterrible
