Review of Only God Forgives (2013) by Jeff W — 22 Jun 2014

Without a shadow of a doubt Only God Forgives is a film that is designed to be diverse and unusual. The film is a dark, gritty and visually awe-inspiring piece of cinema. Directed by the Nicolas Winding Refn who brought you the superb Drive, the film follows Julian (Gosling), a gangster involved in the fighting scene in Bangkok. Violence ensues and the narrative twists and twines through different intricate characters. Refn directs a beautiful piece of filmmaking and credit is due for Larry Smith for the stunning cinematography. The lighting, colours and visuals tell their own unique tells and help us delve deeper into the films deeply hellish undertones.

First of all the script is basic however, the film is directed beautifully to rely on powerful facial expressions and body language to much greater effect. Ryan Gosling is exceptional but he is second fiddle to the incredible Kristen Scott Thomas (Crystal) and Vithaya Pansringarm (Chang) who steal the camera with scene chomping roles. They are both emotional and powerful figures fighting for their own unique brand of justice. The violence is ramped up to eleven and it is fair to say that it will leave some people a little creeped out in places. The film is powerful to such an extent, you are drawn into the narrative and immerse yourself into the trials and tribulations of the characters.

As this review is an early viewing of the film there are several elements of the film I would like to revisit at a later. However, upon first viewing this is a hidden masterpiece. There is something about it that stands out. It is bold, unique and different. This film in my opinion will get better and better over time. The negative reviews will begin to diminish as critics open their mind to this spectacular crime thriller.