Mandy

Parents take note! This is not your typical Nicolas Cage film. Although it starts off slowly with some character development, it is quickly thrust into a deep, dark, hallucinogenic, and very disturbing vehicle into raging madness and revenge. This film is not for the faint of heart!

Some of the characters are a bit difficult to understand, so it helps to turn subtitles on.

There is heavy use of color throughout which is reminiscent of many horror and slasher films from the 1970s and 1980s. Strobing and hallucinogenic effects are present periodically.

Despite the seriousness of the latter half of the film, small elements of campy humor are present where they are least expected.

This film is definitely over the top, but is one of those films which must be watched to the end to see what happens next.

A 2018 revenge nightmare starring Nicholas Cage & from co-writer/director Panos Cosmatos (Beyond the Black Rainbow). A happy couple, Cage & wife Andrea Riseborough, live in a secluded cabin in the woods but one day while walking home, Riseborough catches the eye of a psychotic mad man, Linus Roache, w/a messianic complex (aren't they all?) who directs his minions one night to scoop her & Cage up. After she's drugged & dragged in front of Roache, Riseborough makes the cardinal, fatal sin of laughing in front of his presence causing him to kill her off in front of Cage who's left bound to watch. Breaking free of his bonds the next morning & after an interlude of unhinged hysterics & vodka, Cage embarks on a mission of revenge (along w/a trusted crossbow he gets from his friend, Bill Duke) taking down any & everyone behind his wife's demise. Set against a kaleidoscope of purples & blacks in imagery reminiscent of a hellscape painted on the side of a 70's custom van, Cosmatos indulges in the ultimate anti-date night movie which doesn't give us an easy closure to the events but somehow wallows in the id of the characters to send its message home.

Ok so I first watched this not sure what it was about but I was hopeful of some good old meme quality Nic Cage Rage scenes at the very least. After it finished I sat there thinking WTF and I had to go make a cup of tea and seriously think about some of my life decisions.

Once that was done I came on imdb to find out more about the film and to frankly rant a little. After spending a good half hour reading a lot of very mixed reviews I decided to leave it and watch the film again another day. Which I just have.

It's not my cup of tea. I think the majority of people will hate this film purely because it's not what they are used too, and they just don't get it. Yes ok sympathise with the haters the film is a very simple revenge plot, there's not much dialogue, it's filmed mostly in red and it can drag on in places and many will turn it off before it gets half way.... Which is a shame as this film left me with a similar 'wtf did I just watch' feeling that reminds me of the first time I watched 'Eraserhead.'

'Mandy' is very much an arthouse film with a dose of 80's grindhouse thrown in and if that's the kinda film you like you will love this film. Nic Cage is brilliant in it, and yes he has those rage moments, the violence is swift and brutal, there's even a chainsaw fight. It's surreal, the atmosphere and music blends perfectly with the madness and drug induced hysteria and anger the film is trying to portray in its own arthouse style and I genuinely think this will turn out to be a cult classic.

So yep, not for everyone, but at least try and appreciate it for what it is. 8/10.

Nicolas Cage seems drawn to the surreal. From David Lynch's 'Wild at Heart' to Sion Sono's 'Prisoners of the Ghostland,' he has appeared in many bizarre films, making full use of his self-styled nouveau shamanic, Western Kabuki acting approach. He shines in ventures like these, never phoning it in; more often than not, to borrow Nigel Tufnel's phrase, turning it up to eleven. Cage revels in playing eccentrics, in films that explore the dark, weird and sinister side of human nature; such as Pantos Cosmatos's 'Mandy'.

Cosmatos's second feature follows Red, a lumberjack, who is in a loving relationship with the titular lady. Together, they live a quiet life, hidden away from the world among the trees. However, in the woods surrounding their home is a darkness- one that is coming their way. A drug-taking cult happen to cross Mandy's path one day, and its leader Jeremiah takes a fancy to her. She is kidnapped by the cult, sending Red spiralling down a dark path of vengeance and violence.

'Mandy' is perhaps best described as being like 'Death Wish,' if it had been directed by David Lynch in an acid driven episode of psychosis. Its narrative- written by Cosmatos, Casper Kelly and Aaron Stewart-Ahn- is wildly gripping, inviting viewers into a world of depravity and death, as Red tries to avenge his lost love. However, while it's an occasionally thrilling picture, it is not a particularly original one. Murderous hippies and revenge sprees are features of countless films, and Cosmatos's characters don't have much depth.

Red doesn't have much personality, Mandy has none whatsoever and Jeremiah is your typical ranting, raving cult leader- the Charles Mansonesque type viewers will have seen in countless movies. His followers, meanwhile, are basically cardboard cut-outs, so little character do they possess. Conversely, the minimal dialogue displays Cosmatos's offbeat humour, and some of the lines are quite memorable.

The film's main strength is its ominously oppressive visual and sound design. It is a stunning looking film. Cosmatos and director of photography Benjamin Loeb capture proceedings with an artist's eye, making excellent use of light and shadow. Dominated by blues and reds, the psychedelic lighting helps generate the film's moody atmosphere, which Loeb's use of irregular angles and unconventional framing heightens. The sinister sound design also adds to this mood, while Jóhann Jóhannsson eerie score runs throughout the picture like an evil wind; bringing death and destruction in its wake.

Furthermore, Hubert Pouille's production design is outstanding, as are the sets. Unique and creepy, the structures and locales that populate Red's world are incredibly detailed and interesting (most notably Red and Mandy's many windowed home and the cult's chapel). In addition, Alice Eyssartier's costume design is striking, adding to each character's personality- arguably more so than Cosmatos's screenplay.

Conversely, a cynical critic might suggest that Cosmatos and editors Brett W. Bachman and Paul Painter should have been more hands on in the editing booth, with particular regard to the first half of the picture. The film moves very slowly for the first forty-five minutes or so, and while this builds mood and suspense, it could also be seen as being a little dull and self-indulgent. Cosmatos could have easily trimmed twenty minutes from the runtime without negatively affecting the narrative; nor impacting the film's aesthetic.

On the other hand, the fight scenes are terrifically realized. Shot at night, set against red and blue lighting, blood spills, chainsaws clash, as heads roll- literally. The action is inventively shot, with the gloriously excessive gore of a Sam Raimi 'Evil Dead' picture. You're on the edge of your seat throughout these sequences, and they are the best part of the film.

The whole affair is anchored by Nicolas Cage's Red, a taciturn man thrust into a world of pain. Through Cage's layered performance, the film becomes not just a moody revenge piece, but a display of how great loss can change a person irrevocably. As only he can do, Cage- though outlandish at times- instils in Red a believable humanity, that not only grounds the film, but makes it utterly engaging.

Andrea Riseborough stars as the titular character and, while not on screen for as long as Cage, overcomes Cosmatos's slim characterisation, making Mandy an intriguing person. Linus Roache is marvellously manic as Jeremiah; if ever there was someone to out-do Cage in the crazy department, it is he. His squadron of slack jawed yokels and acid loving cultists are all played well, by the likes of Ned Dennehy and Olwen Fouéré, while Richard Brake, as the LSD maker, steals his sole scene with a remarkable ease, leaving a lasting impression on the viewer.

Pantos Cosmatos's 'Mandy' may have its faults- mainly regarding the narrative and the lax editing, particularly in the first half- but it is an exciting, entertaining film all the same. Visually stunning and boasting a great score from Jóhann Jóhannsson, it's an audio-visual feast. Nicolas Cage turns in another outstanding performance, while his co-stars Andrea Riseborough and Linus Roache also do strong work. In short, 'Mandy' is another surreal work in Cage's filmography that is well worth seeking out.

Just a brief review here summed up in two words...Absolutely Mental.