‘Mandy’ is the new horror film from Panos Cosmatos starring Nicholas Cage as Red, a man out for revenge when his wife Mandy (Andrea Riseborough) is taken by a gang hired by a religious cult. This first half of the film is slow paced and mundane, focusing on the simple everyday life of Mandy and we see her conversations with Red, but once the film gets going, it’s worth sticking around for.
Cage's performance is outstanding and I’m convinced he was born to play this role; his exaggerated style of acting is the perfect approach for the character as he becomes wilder and more out of control through the film. Despite the humour that comes from this, it still manages to hang on to themes of loss and he still brings a sense of tragedy to the role, especially in the last scene. Every performance is great, but Linus Roache as cult leader Jeremiah is also worth mentioning for his interesting line delivery. His monologue directed at Mandy is particularly impressive and that scene as a whole perfectly summarises the film – trippy, stylistic and weird. Even the dialogue is very strange at times, but it doesn’t feel out of place in the context of the movie.
The visual style of the film is also something to be admired. There’s red coloured lighting which adds the feeling of constant danger and creates a surreal effect. The practical effects are also impressive, as well as the character designs for the gang. Overall, this is a great film and showcases the talent Cage, and it’s good to see him do something so different and unique. This might not be a film for mainstream audiences, but if you can get through the slow start, you’ll be rewarded with crazy Nicholas Cage greatness and a wild ride of a movie.
Cage's performance is outstanding and I’m convinced he was born to play this role; his exaggerated style of acting is the perfect approach for the character as he becomes wilder and more out of control through the film. Despite the humour that comes from this, it still manages to hang on to themes of loss and he still brings a sense of tragedy to the role, especially in the last scene. Every performance is great, but Linus Roache as cult leader Jeremiah is also worth mentioning for his interesting line delivery. His monologue directed at Mandy is particularly impressive and that scene as a whole perfectly summarises the film – trippy, stylistic and weird. Even the dialogue is very strange at times, but it doesn’t feel out of place in the context of the movie.
The visual style of the film is also something to be admired. There’s red coloured lighting which adds the feeling of constant danger and creates a surreal effect. The practical effects are also impressive, as well as the character designs for the gang. Overall, this is a great film and showcases the talent Cage, and it’s good to see him do something so different and unique. This might not be a film for mainstream audiences, but if you can get through the slow start, you’ll be rewarded with crazy Nicholas Cage greatness and a wild ride of a movie.
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