Review of Only God Forgives (2013) by Rocketpackpanda — 18 Jul 2013

So, Only God Forgives, that was...ugh...ya? In all honesty though, if it hadn't been for the english dialogue and a rough ending (the 2nd draft of the script has the better ending), this would've been a masterpeice.

If all you have seen from Refn is Drive, dont bother watching this until you have at least watched Bronson or Valhalla Rising. This film is more akin to those than Drive. This film can be majestic at times and devastatingly hallow at the same instance.

ToKristin Scott Thomas and Vaaraj... Sorry great actor dude, these two give wonderful performances. Like most of the rest of the film, silence and body movement is key. The words mean nothing, but the movement of the bodies is whtat is the true delivery.

Add that to the excellent, ne, stunning art design and cinematography and you have the prettiest film of the year. The look is like a canvas touched by a master. All this said, the picture is not perfect, but comparing it to drive is not quite right, it is more in the league of Valhalla Rising.

The problem may be with the cut which was released (thats my bet) but in any case, it seems that several glaring faults damage this work. Even with its beauty it still seems confused as too its nature.

The dialogue sounds tilted and forced, but the movement seems natural and poetic. This dichotemy pulls you from the film, into analysis mode, which does more damage than good, which is the opposite of what Valhalla did (minimalize dialogue to the point where you're watching a kinetic painting).

Furthermore, the further we get through the film, the more disjointed it becomes. That said the film will be a delight for any fans of Refn. Twisted, surreal, artsy fartsy and experimental. Any fan of Refn will love this, anyone who is a fan of stylish films will love this.