The world of fashion is colorful, mesmerizing and beautiful. However, within that beauty there is always envy and jealousy one can’t help when they see someone who, within a minute, conquers the long-waited podium. Nicolas Winding Refn’s The Neon Demon, which has been released on Blue-Ray and DVD with interesting and informative audio commentary of Refn himself and Elle Fanning, brings you a visually stunning tale of a model, whose piece of body everyone wants to have after witnessing her natural and blinding look.
Set in the world of fashion in L.A., the film introduces its protagonist, Jesse, an orphan who after losing her parents moves to the City of Angels with the hope to become a model. Her hope soon turns into dreamy reality when first, Christina Hendricks’ Roberta Hoffmann finds Jesse stunningly beautiful, the photographer Jack (Desmond Harrington) seems to find in her what he had been looking for, and Mikey, whose attention was fully on her, when after doing absolutely nothing, the young woman appears before him during audition.
Looks like everything goes perfectly well for Jesse. She gains a valuable friend in the face of Ruby (Jena Malone) who helps her, but for a while, to control uncontrolled begrudge of Gigi (Bella Heathcote) and Sarah (Abbey Lee). She even begins to start ignoring Dean (Karl Glusman) who was first who discovered her and even protected from evil landlord Hank (Keanu Reeves). However, soon the puzzle becomes more clear and readable to the audience as the story beautifully unfolds, but in a stunningly dark way.
The Neon Demon is a film that will certainty catch you by surprise. First, it seems to have nothing special refer to, but a minute after, gorgeous cinematography from Natasha Braier turns Refn’s piece into visually appealing cinema. Especially, when you own it on BluRay and have the ability to watch it in full HD, trust me, you will be transported into the Neon Demon trying more or less to be a part of it.
It would be fair to mention the performance delivered by talented Elle Fanning, Jena Malone, Bella Heathcote and Abbey Lee. The plot of course, touches upon Jesse, however, it’s Sarah, Gigi and Ruby who spice it up to make Jesse to become who you will see in the second part of the film. Jena Malone, I must say is who truly shines here, as I had no idea that she could have delivered a performance that won’t be easily forgotten. Her Ruby is charismatic, interesting character who does not like to be rejected. And if that, for God sake, it happens, you better not to be around.
Elle Fanning, arguably, is one of the young talents nowadays, but in The Neon Demon she is simply superior. In the end, the director Nicolas Winding Refn manages to deliver the year’s most unusual cinematic experience, which, I must admit, I did not expect at all. After it ends, you will try to analyze what you just had to see, but trust me, sometimes, you don’t have to do it at all, but enjoy the film that leaves you fully satisfied with its extremely high quality.