This movie is horror but not in the ways you think of horror. The concept is equal parts sci-fi in the concept of cloning. The body horror twisting the sense of identity was something also explored in director/ writer Brandon Cronenberg's last film "Possessor" Here it is taken a step further. The underlying message explores the social/political concepts of how other cultures see Americans. The invasion of drunk tourists who escape consequences, as well as some BDSM themes that are dabbled in. But the main takeaway is the beauty of the storytelling that is unfurled here which shows Brandon very mindfully carrying on his father's legacy.
I want movies to disturb me and make me feel something. He successfully accomplishes this by creating an offsetting mood, where you see the road the characters are going down in their spiral into this abyss. Mia Goth continues to prove herself and her acting exceeds what she did in her work last year with TI West. There is not a clear-cut antagonist in this movie, but she would be in the running for it. The main theme is man vs himself, often the metaphor is clear, sometimes even literal. Masks are also a powerful symbol used, this sometimes creates a Clockwork Orange feel when things get reckless and characters give in to criminal urges.
What this movie does best is what I look for in not only horror movies but all cinema which is to take the darker ugliness and shoot it in a way that depicts it with stunning beauty. I want to see the worst perversity but shot in a way that makes it a surreal ballet. There is no real gore and even the violence is kept in check, but the violence is more of an attitude shaped by how bizarre trauma fragments someone and makes you question who is their real self. Death of self and shedding the condition weakness of the world unlocks a fearless animal inside and asks where is the line here. An excellent movie that leaves you with more questions like a dream you woke up in the middle of.
No comments:
Post a Comment