Review of The Neon Demon (2016) by Michael M — 23 Feb 2017

The Neon Demon is a movie that I can't deny held my attention. It has a hypnotic quality to it that keeps you watching even when it gets to some downright repugnant places. It's a gorgeous movie with beautiful direction and amazing cinematography. Not to mention the unnerving 70s style music creates and intense atmosphere that parallels the themes. I also think it has some interesting things to say about the dog-eat-dog world of modeling and even our perspectives on beauty as a culture. This is a well-made movie that is unrelenting in its vision. But did I like it? F*** no.

I respect The Neon Demon a lot more than I like it. While it held me in a hypnotic place, once the credits released me from the hypnotism, I was left repulsed by what I just watched. It showcases real world horror (I'm pretty sure a preteen gets raped in one scene) with some outrageous and fanciful horror creating a truly uncomfortable film. It mixes sex and death in some very bold ways, sometimes figuratively, other times all too literally. While I appreciate what the movie was trying to say and it's artistry to do so was impressive, its methods of doing it were perverse and repulsive. The director has called himself a pornographer, and I kind of see why. He has his vision, he just wants to elicit a reaction, and what he has to do in order to get that reaction doesn't really matter. An interesting approach, but I don't know how much I agree with him. He has said the age of "good and bad" are over, that there is only the reaction. Well, I have to disagree with you sir, because this movie isn't very good. It's well made and has some good ideas, but the overall experience left me hollow and sad. You elicited a reaction from me, but then you did nothing with that reaction. I give this movie credit for its artistry and technical merits. As a piece of art, I kind of admire it. As a piece of entertainment (hell just as an experience) though, I couldn't stand it.