Review of The Neon Demon (2016) by Kayjai B — 26 Sep 2017

Luxuria, Glamor, Envy, Perfection, Ego, Narcissism and more ... "Demon of Neon" finds the point and explores the world of perfect human beings, where naturalness shocks, and robotic is accepted, where perfection can be reflected in the mirror and where "everything that the human being has, is its beauty", this is the world of the film of director Nicolas Refn, a film under-appreciated by criticism and by the public, which tells a sarcastically sensational and a beautiful technical and visual.

The plot of the film has a simple premise, and focuses on a linearity and the character of Jesse, but with the course, the secondary characters are gaining strength until finally steal the film. A kind of "Black Swan" on the contrary, because here our protagonist is already perfect, and the others around her who seek this perfection in her, with an air David Lynch and using subjectivity, "Demon Neon" is a spectacle, entering as far as possible into the human ego it shows that perfection goes beyond the very concept of humanity, and the search delimits the character and submits decency to nothing, the long produces and shows a world where what really counts is appearances , and he does not have to do it with dialogues, he says it in small details, like the make-up that Jesse is wearing in his moment of "change," or in his parade where she kisses her appearance in a metaphor of marriage to herself, the film uses a variety of script resources, from this dialogue to subjectivity to show its idea, and after a while this becomes so natural, that Nicolas begins to introduce elements of pure savagery, such as rape, cannibalism, murder and even necrophilia, shocking? no, not at all, the shocking thing is the human indifference to savagery when your goal is to be perfect and your lust wipes out your humanity.

The film technically is a very detailed, with a camera always searching the center, and a photograph that plays with games of lights, reflecting the climate of the scene, although at times, it seems that Nicolas plays with the photography of random way but nevertheless , is a very beautiful work, we also have a good track, good set that gives a very good rhythm to the film, even the same being sometimes very contemplative, a great makeup and costumes, technically, "Devil De Neon" is pure whim, and it's one of the most technically beautiful thriller movies I've ever seen.

Elle Fannng is great in her role, and can pass the tone of innocent girl and bad girl when it is necessary, Jena Malone tabem is giant, beautiful and passing a hidden air, her character is the synthesis of the doubt, she wants the carnal perfection and sentimental, at the same time that the two are in conflict, the other actresses are robotic, even in their postures at the table, and this is not bad, is great, which proves that has no weakness in the cast.

"De Neon" is not perfect, his moral that preaches a vision that nothing can be perfect and natural for a long time proves itself in the evaluation of the film, he can be perfect in some aspects, but his naturalness dies, and sometimes it is even a little forced, but it is still a great movie and a psychological suspense of quality, with questions, good technique, and great outcome, because this is the most dangerous thing in a movie, its end, it can ruin the work, and it seems that it will happen with "Devil De Neon", because it has a ready and great ending, there the film lengthens 2 more scenes, showing a final more than great, perfect, where perfection is reached, dead humanity and digested naturalness.