These days there are a multitude of styles in the horror category. From methodical, beautifully shot stories that culminate in terror, torture porn that feels so icky your skin crawls, all the way to horror/comedy that simultaneously makes you chuckle and gasp, today's horror has an extremely broad definition. Landing solidly in the first category, Nicholas Winding Refn makes his initial foray into the genre with the hypnotically sinister THE NEON DEMON. The film's focus is the fledgling career of teen model, Jesse, and her seemingly effortless and rapid rise to the top of her profession. Along the way, Jesse encounters foes and questionable friends who all seem to either covet or exploit the "thing" or inexplicable charisma that appears to unfailingly propel her upward in the cutthroat fashion industry.
The film is gorgeous. The director paints a glossy, sparkly, and somehow even innocent picture all the while maintaining a malicious undertone throughout the piece. While the imagery is certainly dreamy, the interaction Jesse has with her counterparts provides a bite that sharply contrasts her ethereal aura and perpetuates an eerie tension that pervades the otherwise simple storyline.
Refn and his co-writers Mary Laws and Polly Stenham also delight by turning traditional gender roles and tropes on their head. I am treading dangerously near spoiler territory here, but I really liked the unexpected turn that some of the characters made in the third act. I didn't know what to expect, but I certainly didn't foresee the dark places the film would take me. Though there is one particular scene that undoubtably some will argue jumps the shark (and I'm guessing is the scene that cued the boos at this year's Cannes Film Festival), I quite enjoyed the macabre transition the story makes. I could start throwing out sub genre categories comparisons here, but that would ruin the fun of witnessing the characters' descent into utter madness. And no, I don't even consider that a spoiler.
Elle Fanning simply glows as the ingenue Jesse. Refn and cinematographer Natasha Braier divinely capture her effervescent youth and vitality while Fanning innocently dominates every frame in which she appears. She has the lithe and fresh faced look of a model along with the whip smart acting chops that are required to carry such serious subject matter. While her youth is unsettling, it also accentuates the other characters' malevolence and obsession with this fleeting virtue, making for quite a twisted morality tale.
The visuals of various key sequences are pretty spectacular, but it's the pairing of the scenes with a thumping score by composer Cliff Martinez that builds an overall sense of excitement and ominous tension that flows throughout the film. This is not your run of the mill horror film, it is a stunning audiovisual experience in a menacing mood.
So I guess you can probably tell that I dug it. Like most horror, the film isn't for everyone (definitely not the faint of heart), but for fans of Refn or of arty glam horror, THE NEON DEMON is a must see. Check it out in theaters when it opens this Friday, June 24th.
Rebecca Elliott
aka Annette Kellerman
