Review of Only God Forgives (2013) by Kevin R — 11 Jan 2014

It's undeniable that "Only God Forgives" completely brought the momentum of director Nicholas Winding Refn to a screeching halt critically. Universally panned, the film both cryptic and puzzling was not what the countless admires of 2011's hit "Drive" were expecting. Instead of an accessible thriller with the trappings of European art house, "Only God Forgives" is a baffling, almost Lynchian art house oddity. Viewers with only "Drive" as reference will be surprised to put it lightly. Those who have seen "Valhalla Rising?" Not so much.

I never expected to see Refn replicating his previous hit here, and I was right. For the insane, hypnotizing, occasionally impenetrable anomaly it is, "Only God Forgives" worked on me. Refn's film is a cohesive vision; through a highly interpretive narrative, we never feel lost as conventional storytelling goes off the rails. We are in the grasp of Refn's indulgent fever dream, and I was enthralled by a big chunk of it. Both beautiful and grotesque, "Only God Forgives" can feel a little off-putting in it's idiosyncrasies and for some the brutal violence and atmosphere, but the sight of some of the years most striking imagery (gorgeous photography from cinematographer Larry Smith) and art direction were more than enough to keep me roped in. Kristin Scott Thomas is also devilishly memorable as one of the most despicable mothers committed to film, almost as nightmarish as the otherworldly film itself.

In the end, summing the picture up in words is of little use. Like the most divisive works of David Lynch, "Only God Forgive" is either going to strike a chord with you or it won't. I kind of admire the reverie it is. I LOVED it's aesthetics.