REVIEWED HARD ... THE NEON DEMON (2016) ... WHAT LIES BENEATH BEAUTY IS ONLY SKIN DEEP!

There are times when I question my own intelligence when it comes to certain movies I've seen, this doesn't happen often, the first time when I watched The Matrix (1999), I walked out of the theater feeling both baffled and in awe of what I just saw. The next time I remember feeling that way was after watching Jake Gylenhaal's Enemy (2013) and most baffling of all was Bug (2006) which was directed by William Friedkin. Now the only reason I bring this up is because I felt the same way about this movie, The Neon Demon (2016).

I watched and found myself drawn deeper and deeper into the movie, I felt confused but strongly compelled to watch more as the movie progressed. The movie is wonderfully written and directed by Nicolas Winding Refn and features emphasis on atmosphere and color above all else, with long drawn out pauses that make you want to bite your nails in anticipation of each characters next line or next move.

Whatever director Refn was thinking when he wrote this, I will never truly know, but the entire movie seems to be a metaphor for the superficiality of beauty and the beauty industry and perhaps more literally what people would do to achieve this beauty and how far they would go. It explores the arrogance, vanity and obvious narcissism that inherently cloud our views and perception of what it really means to be beautiful. Perhaps the movie is mocking society in general and our obsessions with pretty.

This movie is different to the normal movies we review and that said, if you're looking for a deeper viewing experience and one that will be debated for a long time after watching then this is for you. The genre is said to be horror / thriller but there's much more too it than that. The Neon Demon is definitely not going to be everyone's taste but I thoroughly enjoyed this metaphoric journey into the captivity, trappings and confinement which beauty attracts.

THE NEON DEMON (2016) SYNOPSIS
When aspiring model Jesse moves to Los Angeles, her youth and vitality are devoured by a group of beauty-obsessed women who will take any means necessary to get what she has.

THE NEON DEMON (2016) POSTER