Nicolas Cage has been the face of memes that have circulated for years and years. Now, Cage is the face of a man in rageful despair.
Nicholas Cage’s character Red Miller leads a phantasmal revenge mission when his one true love Mandy Bloom (Andrea Riseborough) is burned alive by a deranged cult led by antagonist Jeremiah Sand (Linus Roache). Blood, death and fire engulf the film through Red’s messy alcohol binge and shrieks of pain in the bathroom. You can’t really blame the guy, especially when he just lost his girl — you know, the only person he really cared about.
“Mandy” is unlike anything you’ve ever seen, truly. I went into the movie thinking I would know what to think and how to feel, but it was an absolute whirlwind of crazy — in a good way. One of the best aspects to the film was the dreamlike feel of the entire thing. It felt as if the movie itself moved in and out of consciousness, as if it was alive. To be honest, I was entirely confused by the plot in the beginning, which is probably the reaction director Panos Cosmatos anticipated. To say I left the theater entirely clear of the story would be an outright lie, but I did leave feeling gratified.
The thrilling action horror film had many attributes, including humor. Surprisingly, “Mandy” was funny in all of the right ways. Subtle visual cues, snarky comments and unexpected facial expressions from Cage’s character led the mostly full auditorium to burst into laughter more than once. The hilarity gave “Mandy” a definitive edge in which most movies of this genre lack. It was a refreshing change.
However, one of the finest features of “Mandy” was the phenomenal soundtrack. The movie’s heavy metal score perfectly complemented each scene. Credit lies with Jóhann Jóhannsson, the two-time Oscar nominated Icelandic composer whose works include scores for “Sicario,” “Arrival” and “The Theory of Everything.” Although Jóhannsson passed away earlier this year, before the film’s Sept. 14 release, his incredible work will be preserved in “Mandy” forever.
This movie might not be for everyone. The film received an R rating for good reason. There were copious amounts of blood, unexpected nudity and a whole lot of violence. If you’re still interested, I would highly recommend that you watch it. Although I was confused for the first 20 minutes, it ended up making sense in the end. In no way would I watch this film regularly, but it’s worth 2 hours of your time.
“Mandy” is easily accessible right at home on Video on Demand. Grab some peeps and experience the film in the comfort of your own living room. You can even purchase exclusive “Mandy” viewing party boxes, stocked with a beanie, Cheddar Goblin macaroni and cheese, coasters and other fun trinkets.