Review of The Neon Demon (2016) by Lambo442 — 18 Sep 2016

At first I couldn't work out whether I was watching a masterpiece or the biggest load of pretentious, empty trash I've ever seen. With a notable lack of traditional narrative or plot the Director relies on the subtext or theme to pierce through the veil of aesthetics and make make some kind of sense for us.

The theme has something to do with beauty and how others are effected by it and visually the film is so amazing to look at that this compliments the subtext well. For me it's more like a painting with motion than a film and if it can be seen as such then it's easier to enjoy I think.

A lot of scenes in the film just don't make any sense and don't add anything to the thread of a narrative that runs through it, but they are striking and do have an effect on you, which is perhaps the purpose.

When the film finished I kind of hated it but as time goes on I'm thinking more and more that it's absolutely brilliant. Winding refn is a real visionary and it's great to see such a different film that doesn't conform to Hollywood norms.

Disturbing, beautiful and the soundtrack is out of this world.