Mandy

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.

First off, any movie that opens with a song by King Crimson should get our attention. MANDY is a hallucinatory, revenge / horror film set in the early 1980's. Red Miller (Nicolas Cage) is on a mission of bloody vengeance after a cult full of psychopaths does the unspeakable to the title character (Andrea Riseborough).

Oh, but it's so much more!

Whether you're a rabid Nicolas Cage fan, or you can't stand him, especially, if you can't stand him, you must see him here! Part Charles Bronson, Part Bruce Lee, Part Bruce Campbell, and all Cage! This is the role he was born to play! He forges his own weapon! He takes on demon bikers! He lights a cigarette with a burning, severed head!

Director Panos Cosmatos pulls out every stop, even outdoing his BEYOND THE BLACK RAINBOW! This movie is LSD itself! In case you were wondering, yes, there is a chainsaw! Two, in fact! Dueling chainsaws! My sweet Lord! The finale will alter your reality and change your religion! All this, and cameos from Bill Duke and Richard Brake too! Watch this ASAP!...

I really enjoyed this film. Honestly, I'm really close to saying that I loved it. This movie is wonderfully inventive, beautifully shot, and totally unlike anything else I've ever seen before. Plus, you get to see Nick Cage fight with chainsaws. What's not to like?

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

There are those who easily forgive transgressions by misguided people and seek to have them treated and return to society as productive people. For those, this is NOT the type of movie.

Perhaps the most appropriate review title here is "Entertainingly Insane." The best clue regarding this movie is what the director says, "The actual story is not so important, what matters is how you shoot it and edit it." In other words, how it looks and feels is most important, and that comes at you full force in this movie.

I would not normally seek out this type of movie but recently I read that Nic Cage says during a period when he was in debt by several $Millions he took lots of roles and made some questionable movies because he needed to earn money.

This probably isn't one of those, I saw a recent interview on a late night show and when asked to name his five favorite movies he has made, "Mandy" was on that short list.

Set in the Pacific Northwest, it was filmed mostly in Belgium where they found some very interesting locations, which adds to the visual design. The movie has lots of red in it, particularly red lights at night, and lots of gore and blood. At its core it is a revenge movie, to destroy a misled religious cult with a fanatic as its leader.

At home on DVD from my public library.