Last night I was lucky enough to attend an advanced screening of Nicolas Winding Refn's new film The Neon Demon (shoutout to my friend Eoin for the tickets), the latest film from the Danish director known for works such as Drive and Bronson. This film is Winding Refn's first horror and follows aspiring model Jesse (Elle Fanning) as she enters the world of the fashion industry in LA, putting her on a dark and twisted path. I was really excited for this one as I felt it was only a matter of time before Winding Refn tackled the horror genre with his unique style, and while everything in the film certainly looked amazing, The Neon Demon left me feeling very conflicted.
As I said, the films strongest asset is its visuals, Refn makes excellent use of lighting and mirrors to create a very dreamlike reality that's very reminiscent of the Argento classic Suspiria. The colourful lighting scheme and use of shadows are so hypnotic that you'll be afraid to even blink in fear of missing out on another beautiful frame. The film also boasts a superb electronic soundtrack courtesy of composer Cliff Martinez, and when combined with the psychedelic imagery it makes the film even more mesmerizing for the viewer. Winding Refn really shows off his directorial skills here, using lingering shots and silences he creates tension that can at times be unbearable, it's not a constant sense of dread but when it happens it's effective. But unfortunately these long silences and pauses can have a negative effect on the story as well and that becomes evident about halfway through this film. The dialogue is witty but it's so drawn out that at times I felt like screaming 'get on with it' to the characters onscreen. It works when there's suspense but other than that it just makes things feel a bit tedious at times.
Aside from the beautiful visuals, the highlight of this film is definitely Elle Fanning's performance as Jesse, a young model admired by some and envied by many due to her striking looks and talent. Fanning is immaculate at embodying Jesse's sense of innocence, a 'deer in the headlights' look as described by Jenna Malones character. Despite her innocent demeanour however, she never once comes across as naive and there is this sense of mystery and intrigue surrounding her from the very beginning. Fanning not only excels in portraying Jesse as the innocent newcomer but she also does a wonderful job displaying her development throughout as she slowly becomes a narcissistic egomaniac. Brilliant performance from the talented young actress. I also really enjoyed Jenna Malone in this film as she plays makeup artist Ruby, she brings her signature charm to the rather friendly character yet despite it all the audience can't help but feel there's something sinister about her. She reminded me a lot of the Castevet's in Rosemary's Baby, amiable yet off. It was definitely one of Malone's greatest and most interesting performances yet especially considering the whole necrophilia scene, I've said too much already.
Other noteable performances come from Abbey Lee and Bella Heathcote as Sarah and Gigi, two doll-like models who grow envious of Jesse, then there's Alessandro Nivola as the likeable asshole of a fashion designer who brings a unique sense of humour to all of his scenes. And of course I have to give a mention to Keanu Reeves who seems to have recovered from last year's Knock Knock, his initial appearance caused the audience to erupt with laughter but in his defense he gives a brilliant performance as Jesse's violent landlord Hank.
The drawn out dialogue can be witty at times but often feels very unnatural, then again everything about this film feels unnatural; the sets, the lighting, certain characters and their appearances, nothing seems real here. Winding Refn entices us into his surreal, almost nightmarish version of Hollywood where everything appears so clean and polished and everybody looks like mannequins. It is very dreamlike and very surreal, moments involving a cougar appearing in Jesse's room and a bizarre 'demon dance' at a nightclub really enhance the hypnotic vibe established through the visuals and poses the question of what's real and what isn't. Not since David Lynches Mulholland Drive has somebody presented such a nightmarishly surreal version of Hollywood. Despite all of this however, viewers are kept waiting a long time for something to happen due to how drawn out it is and at times it becomes almost painful waiting around, however the almost cathartic climax makes all the waiting worthwhile and will remind you exactly why this is a horror film.
The Neon Demon does a great job at expressing its key theme, beauty. Every frame is so visually appealing and masterfully shot that it almost entrances the viewer at times, but like some of the film's characters it's beauty can not hide the fact that it's lacking something. It is very slow moving and although at time this helps with suspense, generally speaking it doesn't do much for the story and causes the film to feel a bit boring at times. It all pays off by the end however in one of the most shocking climaxes ever, if you're a fan of extreme cinema I highly encourage you to invest your patience as it will be worth it for the last half hour or so. If not then I'd say give this one a miss, don't be expecting another Drive. The Neon Demon is a hypnotic and devilishly witty horror film that requires a certain amount of patience in order to enjoy it, very slow at times but by the end of it all you'll be glad you gave it your time.
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