Elle Fanning's latest movie is a psychological maze.
The reviews are in for Nicolas Winding Refn's latest indie thriller 'The Neon Demon', with many branding it as superficial as the subject matter and others basking in the gorgeous cinematography. There's one thing that is agreed, however, and that's the fact that it's unfathomably surreal.
Elle Fanning stars in 'The Neon Demon'
Elle Fanning stars in this bloody psychological thriller from the director of 'Only God Forgives'. It explores a vicious undercurrent of brutality and jealousy in the world of LA beauty, fashion and modelling, and is being compared to films the likes of experimental genius David Lynch. But it's also being branded as a 'horror' movie, and few critics are accepting of that label for Refn's latest film.
'[It's] Nicolas Refn's foray into the horror genre, but apparently, no one bothered to tell the filmmaker that', the New York Daily News commented, with Bloody Disgusting pointing out that it tries a little too hard to be a horror flick as 'Refn throws things at the screen merely for shock value'. A better description for this movie was offered by the USA Today, who dubbed it a 'bizarrely enchanting quasi-horror movie'.
Watch the trailer for 'The Neon Demon' here:
But despite this, there were still plenty who found themselves gripped by the weirdness of 'The Neon Demon'. Time said, 'Whatever the heck it is, it throws off a chilly, pleasurable sheen' and Blood Disgusting adding that it is 'an enthralling virtual tour through an exaggerated version of L.A.'s fashion world'.
Unfortunately, some critics were looking for a bit more depth than that. 'Lifeless and devoid of human interest' was Rolling Stone's description of it and NY Daily News agreed that it's 'ultimately quite vacant and shallow' even if it is a beautifully shot project. Even Variety, who were not left thoroughly disappointed by the lack of depth, admitted that it 'turns out to be a movie made by a macabre surrealist gross-out prankster'.
'The Neon Demon' is set to be released in US movie theaters tomorrow (June 14th 2016).
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