Search
-
AH
Anderson H. M. Jeremiah
Author
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Mandy (2018) in Movies
Oct 30, 2019 (Updated Oct 30, 2019)
A ride from start to finish
Mandy is an utterly bizarre experience, but it's one that kept me absolutely enthralled from beginning to end.
The basic plot is pretty simple - Red (Nicolas Cage) and Mandy (Andrea Riseborough) live an idyllic and secluded life until a run in with a cult-like group lead by Jeremiah Sand (Linus Roache).
After a night of terror falls on the couple, Red takes it upon himself to exact bloody vengeance on those who have harmed them.
This straightforward horror-revenge narrative however is washed in a truly striking example of filmaking.
The cinematography throughout is gorgeous, from huge sweeping shots, to grainier settings full of fog and red light. Director Panos Cosmatos lands numerous memorable shots and presents with a surreal visual experience with a continuous 80s vibe under the surface.
This distinct style paired with a beautiful synth heavy score from the late Jóhann Jóhannsson (which constantly reminded me of Twin Peaks) gives the movie a dream-like coating that gives the movie a really unsettling and downright creepy presence.
King Crimson plays over the opening credits also, which is always going to win me over!
The first half is a slow burner (the title card doesn't appear until 70 minutes in!), really taking advantage of everything mentioned above, before taking a pretty crazy, LSD drenched turn.
The gorier moments of Mandy happen here, and they're pretty effective, outlandish, but at the same time realistic. It certainly sticks with you as the movie slips further into a drug fuelled bloody nightmare. (there's a goddamn chainsaw duel!)
The cast are all pretty decent - Linus Roache makes for a menacing villain during his limited screentime, and his followers are suitably weird (the whole thing has a horrible Charles Manson vibe to it), and Nicolas Cage is both unnervingly restrained at times (even when drenched in blood) with the odd moment of full blown Cage that we've come to know and love.
Mandy deals with themes of love, revenge, toxic masculinity, religion, and cultism, all wrapped up in a truly outlandish and violent fever dream.
Some people love it, some people hate it, but it's certainly unlike any horror I've seen before and I though it's was pretty damn good.
The basic plot is pretty simple - Red (Nicolas Cage) and Mandy (Andrea Riseborough) live an idyllic and secluded life until a run in with a cult-like group lead by Jeremiah Sand (Linus Roache).
After a night of terror falls on the couple, Red takes it upon himself to exact bloody vengeance on those who have harmed them.
This straightforward horror-revenge narrative however is washed in a truly striking example of filmaking.
The cinematography throughout is gorgeous, from huge sweeping shots, to grainier settings full of fog and red light. Director Panos Cosmatos lands numerous memorable shots and presents with a surreal visual experience with a continuous 80s vibe under the surface.
This distinct style paired with a beautiful synth heavy score from the late Jóhann Jóhannsson (which constantly reminded me of Twin Peaks) gives the movie a dream-like coating that gives the movie a really unsettling and downright creepy presence.
King Crimson plays over the opening credits also, which is always going to win me over!
The first half is a slow burner (the title card doesn't appear until 70 minutes in!), really taking advantage of everything mentioned above, before taking a pretty crazy, LSD drenched turn.
The gorier moments of Mandy happen here, and they're pretty effective, outlandish, but at the same time realistic. It certainly sticks with you as the movie slips further into a drug fuelled bloody nightmare. (there's a goddamn chainsaw duel!)
The cast are all pretty decent - Linus Roache makes for a menacing villain during his limited screentime, and his followers are suitably weird (the whole thing has a horrible Charles Manson vibe to it), and Nicolas Cage is both unnervingly restrained at times (even when drenched in blood) with the odd moment of full blown Cage that we've come to know and love.
Mandy deals with themes of love, revenge, toxic masculinity, religion, and cultism, all wrapped up in a truly outlandish and violent fever dream.
Some people love it, some people hate it, but it's certainly unlike any horror I've seen before and I though it's was pretty damn good.