Nicolas Winding Refn gives The Neon Demon a striking visual look, as if the story had been created out of fashion spreads and glitter glue, and as a visual experience, it's a triumph. What's more difficult to accept, initially, is the cold, apathetic acting, but I think that's part of the same aesthetic - vacuous beauty looking at you with dead eyes, and a conflation of "deadness" and "beauty" and the underlying ambitions. Elle Fanning plays an innocent, new to the fashion world of Los Angeles, someone whose beauty fascinates (or so the film tells us, this is a difficult thing to make EVERYONE in the audience believe no matter who you cast), but which takes its toll. Beauty has its price, as does the pursuit of any marketable "talent", so everyone wants something from. Weird things start to happen that play better on a metaphorical level, but I especially like the abstract "neon demon" itself, like a glowing symbol of Elle's Jesse engaging with her own ambition and potentially losing her soul. This is a more interesting angle than what the climax provides, sending us left when we should have gone right, and though the resolution is strange, it feels ordinary in the context of what has become a horror film by that point. The casting of such actors as Christina Hendricks and Keanu Reeves - older symbols of beauty, I guess - in smaller roles only makes me want to see more of them, as well. So though emptiness and superficiality are definitely themes, it does leave me with a hollow feeling.
Started off well, as beautiful as Elle Fanning.. Showed a lot of potential to be a great film..
But towards the last 20 mins, the sordid details were hard to stomach..
I would have hated this movie if not for Elle Fanning..
My rating: 6/10.
I would call it all style and no substance...but I feel that for this movie, the style IS the substance. This movie is weird and creepy and stylish and cool and sexy and disturbing and shallow. It's a heck of ride and I think anyone in the mood for something unorthodox should give it a try.
I'm not sure what I feel about this movie. Really nice photography, and there were some aspects that I really liked, but towards the end..... I don´t know, it felt..... weird.
Also, don't let your amateur photographer boyfriend stitch you! You're a model! It will leave a horrible scar in your hand!
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Comments 1 - 15 of 19
moviefan28
Crap film waste of 2 hours no redeeming quality to be foundSiskoid
Nicolas Winding Refn gives The Neon Demon a striking visual look, as if the story had been created out of fashion spreads and glitter glue, and as a visual experience, it's a triumph. What's more difficult to accept, initially, is the cold, apathetic acting, but I think that's part of the same aesthetic - vacuous beauty looking at you with dead eyes, and a conflation of "deadness" and "beauty" and the underlying ambitions. Elle Fanning plays an innocent, new to the fashion world of Los Angeles, someone whose beauty fascinates (or so the film tells us, this is a difficult thing to make EVERYONE in the audience believe no matter who you cast), but which takes its toll. Beauty has its price, as does the pursuit of any marketable "talent", so everyone wants something from. Weird things start to happen that play better on a metaphorical level, but I especially like the abstract "neon demon" itself, like a glowing symbol of Elle's Jesse engaging with her own ambition and potentially losing her soul. This is a more interesting angle than what the climax provides, sending us left when we should have gone right, and though the resolution is strange, it feels ordinary in the context of what has become a horror film by that point. The casting of such actors as Christina Hendricks and Keanu Reeves - older symbols of beauty, I guess - in smaller roles only makes me want to see more of them, as well. So though emptiness and superficiality are definitely themes, it does leave me with a hollow feeling.julia314
It's beautifully filmed, and to me, that's all it has.filmyjo
Started off well, as beautiful as Elle Fanning.. Showed a lot of potential to be a great film..But towards the last 20 mins, the sordid details were hard to stomach..
I would have hated this movie if not for Elle Fanning..
My rating: 6/10.
Cthulhu1
Weird. Long. '80s-style soundtrack.Beauty is truly what's on the inside.
starnamedstork
Gotta be seen!fbillys
BoringTidorith
Good movie, but very slow. Strange movie, and excellent score to go with it.There's a saying about your eyes being bigger than your stomach.
TeaDrinker3000
And they say romance is dead...balaclava
insufriblezundrall
similar to Herutâ sukerutâ but this is less crazyParavail
I would call it all style and no substance...but I feel that for this movie, the style IS the substance. This movie is weird and creepy and stylish and cool and sexy and disturbing and shallow. It's a heck of ride and I think anyone in the mood for something unorthodox should give it a try.The One With Wen
I'm not sure what I feel about this movie. Really nice photography, and there were some aspects that I really liked, but towards the end..... I don´t know, it felt..... weird.Also, don't let your amateur photographer boyfriend stitch you! You're a model! It will leave a horrible scar in your hand!
Carota
I never wanted to dislike a NWR movie.Jesus, have mercy with me.
morti-viventi
I go into every Refn film knowing it should be on the big screen and I should be drunk.Showing items 1 – 15 of 19