Review of Only God Forgives (2013) by Matthew S — 19 Jun 2015

I refuse to believe I stand alone in my opinion of Refn's follow-up to DRIVE. Admittedly, Refn's film is not really interested in clearly constructing plot. He is more interested in creating a neon-drenched experimental reworking of mythology.

The film is purposely without any sense of character development. The only character who is ever given much dialog is Kristin Scott Thomas as the mother of the two brothers. Scott Thomas' performance is perversely deadpan.

Refn could have explored the deeper and more worrying aspects of this loosely and often surreal journey approached from from two different aspects rage: Vengeance and Punishment. While both aspects are pursued with steady confidence, neither pursuit approached with passion or intensity.

These are all intentional choices. This is not about a "showdown" this is about a fully accepting the price for not only a family's cruelty but their twisted subversion of another's culture.

Certainly, the movie is flawed. But it is so visually and metaphorically interesting, I proudly claim it as a great cinematic experience.