'Only God Forgives' (2013)
Writer: Nicholas Winding Refn
Release Date: 2nd August 2013
Hot Rating: 💥💥
After the commercial and critical success of neo-noir 'Drive' (2011), Danish director Nicholas Winding Refn chooses to return to lead, Ryan Gosling (Julian), for his latest crime drama 'Only God Forgives'. Unlike 'Drive', however, 'Only God Forgives' only possesses superficial drama, driven by bold red aesthetic and a dry pacing. These three elements combine for a frustratingly self-indulgent piece of cinema. Refn, who has always been a master of the visual-narrative relationship, exaggerates his directorial presence with drawn-out fight scenes, with sometimes obscene results, and consequently loses our attention in his own desire to convey themes of religion, lust and maternity. While these themes find shelter in the film's impressive neon aesthetic, they too are artificially guided by the lacklustre plot. A partial explanation for this is that while Drive charmed with its Byronic hero ('Driver'), 'Only God Forgives' loses our sympathies with characters who are both sadistic and dull.
'The Neon Demon' (2016)
Writers: Nicholas Winding Refn, Mary Laws, and Polly Stenham
Release Date: 8th July 2016
Hot Rating: 💥💥💥
Like the satirical undertones of its title, 'The Neon Demon' is quicker to foreground its thematic focus, giving director Nicholas Winding Refn a well-grounded grounded direction. Set in present-day L.A., the thriller tells of a young girl's (Jesse, played by Elle Fanning) emotional corruption in the model industry. Of her sadistic foil, Sarah (Abbey Lee), Refn convincingly embodies the pervasive theme of greed, which is shown to have disturbing and violent effects. As is typical of the Danish auteur, these graphic elements border on excessive, with the film's treatment of the body politic being a particularly careless misstep. Nonetheless, the characters are full-bodied and much more emblematic. Beyond the saturated treatment of violence of the film, its main disadvantage lies in its supporting roles, with the clunky addition of actors like Keanu Reeves and Jena Malone distract audiences' from Elle Fannings domineering screen presence.
Writer: Nicholas Winding Refn
Release Date: 2nd August 2013
Hot Rating: 💥💥
After the commercial and critical success of neo-noir 'Drive' (2011), Danish director Nicholas Winding Refn chooses to return to lead, Ryan Gosling (Julian), for his latest crime drama 'Only God Forgives'. Unlike 'Drive', however, 'Only God Forgives' only possesses superficial drama, driven by bold red aesthetic and a dry pacing. These three elements combine for a frustratingly self-indulgent piece of cinema. Refn, who has always been a master of the visual-narrative relationship, exaggerates his directorial presence with drawn-out fight scenes, with sometimes obscene results, and consequently loses our attention in his own desire to convey themes of religion, lust and maternity. While these themes find shelter in the film's impressive neon aesthetic, they too are artificially guided by the lacklustre plot. A partial explanation for this is that while Drive charmed with its Byronic hero ('Driver'), 'Only God Forgives' loses our sympathies with characters who are both sadistic and dull.
'The Neon Demon' (2016)
Writers: Nicholas Winding Refn, Mary Laws, and Polly Stenham
Release Date: 8th July 2016
Hot Rating: 💥💥💥
Like the satirical undertones of its title, 'The Neon Demon' is quicker to foreground its thematic focus, giving director Nicholas Winding Refn a well-grounded grounded direction. Set in present-day L.A., the thriller tells of a young girl's (Jesse, played by Elle Fanning) emotional corruption in the model industry. Of her sadistic foil, Sarah (Abbey Lee), Refn convincingly embodies the pervasive theme of greed, which is shown to have disturbing and violent effects. As is typical of the Danish auteur, these graphic elements border on excessive, with the film's treatment of the body politic being a particularly careless misstep. Nonetheless, the characters are full-bodied and much more emblematic. Beyond the saturated treatment of violence of the film, its main disadvantage lies in its supporting roles, with the clunky addition of actors like Keanu Reeves and Jena Malone distract audiences' from Elle Fannings domineering screen presence.
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