The Neon Demon

7/30/2016

A SCREEN ZEALOTS REVIEW www.screenzealots.com LOUISA SAYS: What…did I….just watch? Not for the uninitiated or those with weak stomachs, everyone’s favorite polarizing surrealist director Nicolas Winding Refn is back with the lurid, gory, sadistic, and horrifyingly beautiful “The Neon Demon.” This film makes a bold statement about the shallowness of Hollywood and the fashion industry in the most violent, brutal, bloody and disturbing way possible. The film’s strength is in its breathtaking visuals. Refn once again establishes himself as a true auteur at the top of the visionary food chain. Even if you are one of the many who see him as pompous and pretentious, there’s no denying that few have quite the mastery of the craft of the visual arts as he does. This film belongs in a mo

9/6/2016

I don't really foresee _The Neon Demon_ becoming my personal all time favourite film, but from a purely aesthetics point of view, it might just be the best movie I've ever seen. _Final rating:★★★★½ - An all round great movie and a whole lot more._

11/4/2016

**It's not anymore a competitive world, but jealousy!** It started off very well and in the half mark, it completely lost. In the initial part, it looked like a normal film and then I think even the writer does not know what could happen, they just improvised with whatever they had. Writing was totally messed up. When they had the great characters, it becomes nothing in the end. I'm not a fan of this director, and all his films are average, but this one is the worst among them. I'm not an art film hater, though I hate wasting scenes without any developments and this one had many like them. If you trim them all out, the overall film is around 45 minutes. The rest of the film was just music, colourful lights, and sometimes totally idle, which definitely drag the viewers to the boredom.

4/7/2018

Awesome up til the climax. Goes from a guts-deep analysis of 1) narcissism and its development, 2) the horrors of fashion culture to a by-the-numbers "wow figure out the mystery wow" thriller. Turn it off when there's 30 minutes left and it'll be your film of the year

4/23/2020

I honestly don’t know if I loved this movie or hated it. I would describe it as _beautiful_ and _emotional_, which would match my description of a piece of art. This probably calls for another screening…

6/2/2026

I found there to be something pruriently distasteful about this look at the modelling industry. Perhaps that was Nicolas Winding Refn's intention as he introduces us to sixteen year old aspirational model "Jesse" (Elle Fanning). Her arrival in Los Angeles sees her land on her feet to a certain extent as photographer "Dean" (Karl Glusman) takes some photographs for circulation. They date, after a fashion, and as she lives from her grotty hotel room under the guise of seedy landlord "Hank" (Keanu Reeves) she gradually spreads her wings before alighting on the star-maker "Jack" (Desmond Harrington) who sees something in her appearance that escapes a few of her older and more experienced rivals - like "Sarah" (Abby Lee). It turns out that "Dean" is actually quite a decent lad, and when he sees