Customer Ratings & Reviews

Personally, I really like the films by Nicolas Winding Refn, so I knew that I expected a very convoluted film with a lot of metaphors. But the ending was really...perverse. If you don't like the type of films that are not straight forward or that are focused more on the "art" value of the film, then I wouldn't recommend this one. But if you like the director and you value the previously said things, then you will probably like this one. Again, not for everyone (especially for the weak of stomach)

Sometimes, plot just doesn't matter. If you've read any of my other reviews, I'm sure you've noticed that realism and traditional plotting aren't required for me to enjoy a film. Case in point, Nicolas Winding Refn's new film, THE NEON DEMON. If your barometer for good cinema is based on how well the story works, well then you can stop reading now. Still with me? Good, because this is a movie to be felt, not to be hindered by plot causality. It's a slow motion dance at 4:00 in the morning in a weird rave in some alternate dimension where all the strangers are slightly menacing but you don't care. Some films are just best when they're allowed to wash over you. That's not to say there's no plot. It's the basic young girl goes to Hollywood to make it big as a model and is devoured by the vapid soulless monstrosity that is part and parcel of the biz type story. That's largely irrelevant, though. Refn's full powers as a master of mood and staging are on full display here. Every shot is lovingly composed, just like the artificial world the characters inhabit. The otherworldliness of the beautiful people is emphasized through the surreal atmosphere that absolutely drenches every single frame. This is the most mind bending film about the modeling industry that you'll ever see. Performances are strong across the board. Elle Fanning continues to impress and Jena Malone is solid as always. Keanu Reeves as a sleazy track suit wearing dive hotel owner is great in an against-type role. Again, though, traditional performances are not the draw here. It's how the actors look in this bizarre world that Refn has created. If ONLY GOD FORGIVES was Refn's love letter to Lynch and Jodorowsky, then THE NEON DEMON is the same to Dario Argento. Want a double feature that will absolutely melt your face off? Watch this film back to back with SUSPIRIA. The unsettling lighting of both pictures may remind you of your nightmares. Not the ones where you're being chased by a killer or something. Nothing that specific. No, the ones where you feel a primal fear that stretches out across the vastness of time and touches your mind in its most uncomfortable spots. The dread practically oozes from this film. I love pictures that create a palpable and purposeful ambience. This is not an easy thing to accomplish, to play your audience's emotions in a naturalistic manner. This is not a cheap horror film. There's nothing cheap about it. If anything, the texture is as rich as a decadent dessert. And it's not really a horror film, even if horrifying things happen. There's one scene is particular that I'm sure will have some stomachs turning. All of this is punctuated with the dazzling and mesmerizing score. I fell in love with the music immediately. The weird electronic beat that keeps the pace of the film moving sounds like it traveled back in time through a deep space black hole and is here to make us aware of something just outside of our normal perception. Something menacing and alluring at the same time. Like a beautiful painting reflected on a sharp clean blade. I adore the music in this film. So yes, after the slight misstep of ONLY GOD FORGIVES, Refn has delivered again. It's not a perfect film. In fact, it could've stood to be trimmed of about ten to twelve minutes but that's just a nitpick really. I honestly could've spent more time wandering around the strangely empty and lonely feeling LA presented to us. Remember, realism is overrated and good cinema does not require an involving story. This is the victory of style, where the conscious mind is obliterated. This is beauty. There's an irony here that is deliberate, considering the subject matter. That's the great thing about this film, though. The connections made are at a left angle from the way many movies work. This isn't "most films" and that's why I love Refn's work. Highly recommended.

The film is another example that this filmmaker understands the visual aspects of filmmaking incredibly well. All of the films that I've seen of his are beautiful to look at, not all films need to look incredible though to be a good movie. But this Writer/Director seems to be a fan of having very little dialogue in his films and focus more on telling the story through long takes, and having very little going on. People usually say that in art if you take away a certain aspect you need to replace or boost the quality of the other aspects, which is what the film does for me. I found it to be very different, unpredictable and rather interesting. Now as for negatives I feel that the reason there isn't much dialogue in his films is because he doesn't write that interesting of dialogue. So there were times when I got bored of some of the few conversations in the movie. If you can make a movie with little dialogue great, but it still has to be interesting to listen to. Also the film very well may disturb or anger many people, but keep in mind this is marketed as a disturbing horror/thriller. So don't be too surprised if things get incredibly weird or messed up. It all depends on your tolerance for slower moving, visual heavy storytelling, watch at your own risk if the film sounds interesting to you.

This has got to be one of the most insane yet ultimately yet fascinating art films I've ever seen. I enjoyed it immensely

I will watch this movie soon it’s in my collection thanks

I really actually liked this movie. I thought it was an interesting take on the horrors man can inflicted on other men and, in a way, himself. To go into a world like those of models and not be concerned with how they may use/abuse you is sort of like setting ones self up for victimization. Sure the story gets pretty grim by the end, but I think the contrast of "beauty outside/ugly inside" is interesting. I know for some it went a little overboard. but I can forgive that about it. It had something to say and it says it rather strong. As for the languid pace, well I think that only adds to the vapid and empty personalities of which the director is trying to critique. Over all I like this weird, haunting albeit "no-straight-forward-horror" film.

Though Nicolas Winding Refn is hardly a household name his films have come to feel like certain kinds of events. It is in the aura he has created around himself and his ambitions that his movies now feel like these mythic, untouchable experiences that take us into a usually weird and demented world that is largely metaphorical for the one the rest of us exist in. With what is his tenth feature film the director has made his first film with a female lead as he's chosen to explore his inner sixteen year-old girl. In his mind, if he were a girl that is, Refn would seem to want to exist in the world of high fashion and be a fashion model as The Neon Demon takes us through the age old tale of the young, pretty southern girl who travels to Los Angeles to make her dreams of becoming a star come true. This is an interesting choice as Refn adopts a rather straightforward narrative for this film while still remaining experimental through the visual design and the way he integrates interesting visual approaches to convey many of the tropes of such a story. Set in this world of supermodels, pretentious designers, and even more pretentious photographers everything about the film feels elitist-the world should belong to the beautiful. The substance matters little if the surface isn't beautiful enough to stop you in the first place. Ruled over by the few chosen gatekeepers of taste we willingly follow our protagonist despite knowing, that in Refn's hands, there is no way this ends well. What Refn is actually attempting to say (if anything) with the film is anyone's guess as it's clear he means for his works to elicit multiple interpretations, but given the more linear structure and straightforward fashion in which the film has been edited it would appear Refn wants us to believe he is discussing one thing while slyly delivering something else. These intentions don't really come forward until the third act though, when the sleight of hand turns into full on spectacle with the film simultaneously becoming less effective as a result. The slow paced, meditative quality of the first two acts that analyzes the ins and outs of the modeling and fashion industries through the innocent eyes of sixteen year-old Jesse (Elle Fanning) is abruptly disposed of in favor of slasher movie conventions thus making the strong build-up and examination of such a world feel short-changed by the abrupt action that concludes the film. Refn somehow still manages slight poignancy, but with not as unique a perception as he initially sets up.

This film is not for everyone, only for those willing to sit through a very different kind of film. It's very disturbing, and contains a lot of non-traditional storytelling told through it's imagery, The cinematography is beautiful in this movie and it has a lot of depth to explore to find out exactly what this film is trying to say. It one of my favorite movies of the year. The blu-ray itself is beautiful. Besides that, it's very light on extras. It has a few short behind the scenes extras and a commentary track, but that's it. Kind of disappointing. You're really only getting the movie with this blu-ray, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Light than air fluffy NWR film, make that “art film” with a capital A. Photography is beyond perfect, the music score is a match made in heaven and the performances are good. Trailer gave me the impression it was about vampires but no, it ends up being a teen slasher with a high fashion twist. Think if maybe Michael Mann tried to do a David Lynch film, around say Blue Velvet or Lost Highway in tone with a touch of DePalma and Bava mixed in just to add spice. Only bummer thing I can say is it wasn’t scary at all and the grand guignol didn’t begin until the final twenty minutes. Still love NWR’s Drive though!

Nicolas Winding Refn returns to the director chair with this hypnotic, alluring and surreal horror film set in the modern day belly of L.A.'s fashion scene. Elle Fanning gives a splendid performance as Jesse the orphan with dreams of glamour in here eyes before everything spirals out of control in gory fashion. Jena Malone particularly stole the show as a make-up artist named Ruby who takes a more intimate interest in Jesse while two other models stare on Jesse with jealousy and hate. The film is fairly slow-paced like Refn's previous film Only God Forgives and relies heavily on gorgeous and popping visuals alongside pounding synth to create an atmosphere of unease. The world around Jesse may be colorful but always looks malevolent and as things get stranger so do things feel even darker. The ending is a shocker worthy of Takashi Miike and will surely put off audiences lacking a cast-iron stomach for the grotesque. I won't say much more plot-wise as this is a film you will most likely come away with a different interpretation than I did. Also must note Keanu Reeves in a surprise role as a sleazy motel owner with plenty to hide. On the technical side the disc is a marvel much and perfectly presents the films "Alice in Wonderland meets Suspiria" look and feel plus the audio is encapsulating. The extras are rather paltry outside the commentary and are mostly glorified trailers which is sadly the norm with new movie releases nowadays. But given the current price it's not too much a bad thing. Overall this is a film you'll either love or hate. It's dark, brutal and slow-paced but in a way befitting the cut-throat nature of modeling (or at least a public perception of it) and will surely delight or disgust you depending on your tastes. For me this is easily my favorite Winding film so far and alongside Inherent Vice as my favorite film of the decade so far. Very fabulous and highly recommended.

If you are a fan of Refn films just get it. His films are all thought provoking and require multiple viewing to fully grasp the message. Films like Only God Forgives and Vahalla Rising are amazingly crafted and the message is not straight forward. All of his films require the viewer to be completely open minded. Hint: his films transmit a spiritual / religious message...

Hard to say what I liked and didn't like about this film. However, I would not recommend this film to anyone that is easily grossed out or offended. Parts of the film were reminiscent of Hostel and brought to mind the life of Elizabeth Bathory. I would recommend this film to certain friends but I wouldn't just recommended it to anyone.

Such a weird and bizarre film, no idea what this is

This is a real head scratcher to this viewer; it recalls some great giallos of a bygone era while circling the wagons in today's arena. Is it a commentary on modeling? A straight on horror film? A story of trust and betrayal? Just an artsy director's freakin' mess? I'm not sure, and I'm certain many pundits more capable than I really get this film....... Beautiful women, fine acting, believable characters, and a look that just won't quit add to the charm of this downbeat outing. WARNING: not an easy view, but worth a look if you're ready for it. Great music is an added bonus to those of us who are Eno, Tangerine Dream, & Berlin Bowie fans. Killer adders, interviews, commentaries make this a cool disc IF you're a fan of Refn............ Let the buyer beware, and ENJOY!

a good flick about vapid women,n how their looks,if beautiful,can open doors ,money,fame etc,.but along with that there is always the downside wen people r jealous,want to take advantage, not ur typical movie,kinda dark.fanning caputures the beauty n innocence perfectly

This director continually churns out excellent but admittedly not for everyone films -- as he did with "drive" "and only god knows"- he spins a dark tale set in the world of LAs aspiring modeling world A must see for any fans of lynch type bizzare worlds set on film

This movie is so wild at times confusing but so aesthetically beautiful as all of Winding Refn’s movies. Lost of colorful imagery and long silences. Do not watch if prone to seizures! Needs more than one viewing to understand it. Great twist ending.

If you're going into this movie hoping to see Drive 2 or something like Only God Forgives you may leave disappointed. I liked that it was a much different film than his previous offerings and definitely leaves you scratching your head at the end,

I am completely in love with this movie. There are so many good things about it. Firstly, it is very soothing to the eyes. The cinematography is on the spot. Even though the movie doesn't have a big narrative, it doesn't really need more than it offers. Less is more in this case. The cast is well chosen too, of course. I think it was smart to send the message via a movie like this, fairy like and horror like though this is more of a mental horror than anything else. But it was a well chosen decision, in my taste. Make no mistake. There will be people who will hate this movie, but this isn't a bad thing. It's something that this film can wear as a badge of honor.

I had heard that this was a fantastic movie in the tradition of Agrento films. Being a horror fan, especially an Argento horror fan, I picked this up. Visually it was fantastic. The use of color and lighting to strike mood, are phenomenal. That said, I felt that the film itself would have been just as good if it had been a 30 minute short instead. The plot, while good, had so many areas where it just meandered along, not actually adding to plot, or moving the film forward. Overall I enjoyed it, and visually and stylistically it was certainly a treat, but I think it had more potential that was just never realized.