By Yo Adrian
(Review courtesy of ALL HORROR.COM )
If anyone’s as famous for starring in the world’s wildest catalog of movies, more than he is his actual acting ability, it’s definitely Nicolas Cage. . Connoisseurs of award-wining cinema will definitely remember him from such critically acclaimed hits as Adaptation, Moonstruck, and Leaving Las Vegas. Action fans love him for Face/Off, Con Air, and National Treasure. He’s even done his fair share of offbeat, straight to video productions. Mandy, on the other hand, is not Cage’s first dip into the horror/thriller pool, but it’s definitely heads and shoulders above most of his recent work by a landslide.
Mandy is directed by Panos Cosmatos, the Italian-Canadian director behind 2010’s Beyond the Black Rainbow. In addition to Cage, the cast list includes Andrea Riseborough, Linus Roache, Ned Dennehy, and Bill Duke. Since it made its debut at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, Mandy has really resonated with critics and film lovers alike with much praise directed at its sleek style and original approach to its subject matter. It’s also worth noting that Mandy is among the last films to feature the haunting score of acclaimed Icelandic composer, Johann Johannsson. (Johannsson passed away earlier this year.)
In Mandy, we meet Red Miller (Cage). At the start of the film, Red appears to be living a tranquil life in California’s picturesque Shadow Mountains. He earns his living as a logger and enjoys a beautiful relationship with the love of his life, Mandy… or at least that’s the case until a cult leader by the name of Jeremiah Sand (Roache) happens to notice Mandy out walking one day. Before long, Red and Mandy find their home invaded and occupied by Sand and his menacing cult. The horrific evening that ensues leaves Red shattered, broken, and bent on bloody revenge.
Make no bones about it, Mandy as a film is quite violent and very graphic. However, it’s also so much more than the gratuitous blood-fest you might be expecting. Anyone who’s familiar with Cosmatos’s previous film, Beyond the Black Rainbow, will likely go into Mandy expecting it to be a bit of a head trip and it is definitely that. Mandy isn’t as opaque as Rainbow, but Cosmatos cleverly leverages the characters’ consumption of hallucinogenic drugs as the foundation for plenty of surrealism. For instance, the forest around Red’s home ultimately morphs into a visually stunning otherworld that is equal parts lurid and beautiful.
Nicolas Cage’s performance is also nothing short of stunning, so this is definitely a film to check out if you’ve missed seeing him at the top of his acting game. He’s truly dialed into his character and he really makes the viewer feel Red’s pain, anguish, grief, and fury at the loss of Mandy and the idyllic, peaceful life he’s lived for so long. You feel for Red and you want him to have his revenge, but you’re also terrified at the thought of actually watching that play out. Red is nothing if not a broken, shattered man on the edge with nothing left to lose and Nicolas Cage does a stunning job at bringing him to life.
Mandy is also unabashedly original. Its “man out for vengeance” plotline is more than familiar to anyone who loves horror or action movies, but Cosmatos’s approach is brilliantly unique. If you’re not a fan of arthouse-style execution, cerebral mind benders, or elaborate approaches to basic themes, Mandy may not be for you. However, if you’re looking for something different that really goes for the throat and doesn’t let go – especially if you’re a die-hard Cage fan – you’ll love this and absolutely won’t want to miss it.
