Mandy (2018)

Directed by Panos Cosmatos

Viewed In Theatre

 

Oh Nicolas Cage…you’ve had so many cinematic adventures over the years, your intensity and odd mannerisms have made you one of the most recognizable Hollywood stars in recent memory, even if your movie choices haven’t been the best. What has been a constant though is Cage’s unwavering commitment to giving every role 110% whether it deserves it or not. Not all of these roles need or even really benefit from Cage’s 110% but that’s just part of his charm, and the real challenge is finding a movie that makes proper use of his specific performances. Cage is definitely capable of showing a bit more nuance but there’s nothing more fun than an over the top Nicolas Cage performance when it is matched with the right film. And Mandy is the first film in years that has perfectly utilized Cage’s unique charms.

So, what is Mandy? Mandy is a movie, set in the Pacific Northwest in 1983, about a couple, Mandy and Red, who live an idyllic life in their peaceful woodland existence until tragedy, in the form of an evil cult, strikes, committing terrible deeds and leaving Red a broken man in the process. Consumed by vengeance, Red sets out to punish those responsible and ensure that they never hurt anyone else again. Now this sounds like an average revenge movie, but what really makes Mandy exceptional is its execution, which is just spot on.

 

The key to Mandy’s success is its incredible sense of style, merging psychedelic lighting and visuals with gonzo ultraviolence in a way that is completely complementary. There is a jarring, but totally intentional, visual shift about a third of the way into the movie and everything seamlessly shifts from a colorful and stylish atmosphere to a harsh and grim tone that perfectly follows the narrative. Looking at Mandy is just such a treat and I don’t want to give away everything you see but there is just such an awesome visual style and every shot was a pleasure to look at.

 

Everything isn’t just monotone though as once the second half of the movie gets going there are occasional bits of dark comedy and bizarre sequences that ride the line but work given the campy nature of what is happening.  One sequence in particular is so out there and wonderful that the entire theatre erupted into laughter when it concluded, which is really something and exemplifies how well Mandy slides between tones will always getting the exact response that it meant to.

 

As I said before the plot is very simple but that simplicity is more than made up for by having all the characters be well established and completely understandable. In particular it was the villains who really impressed, the cult of Jeremiah Sand is one of the best I’ve seen in film because of how startlingly realistic their portrayal was, even as the movie becomes more and more of a fever dream. This cult isn’t some globe spanning network of CEOs and religious leaders but rather a small group of people wrapped up in the odd charisma of a strange musician. The cruelties that they inflict on others are all believable and disgusting and amoral, and it is this realism that really makes the group stand out, especially when the movie introduces some more fantastic elements and out there sequences. You want to see them punished, not only for the evil they do but also because the evil they do is so reminiscent of reality. The idea of a powerful man inflicting violence on a woman who rejects his advances isn’t the most unbelievable thing and that is used intelligently here.

 

It isn’t just the villains who are great, Mandy and Red are also very realistic characters who were just living a peaceful life together before their world was plunged into insanity. How quiet and subtle Mandy and Red’s relationship is really heartwarming, especially when we see scenes of them just calmly interacting. It is a great contrast and helps illustrate how much Red changes. And yes, it is glorious when Nic Cage completely lets loose as Red and begins his quest for vengeance. Cage is absolutely perfect for this role and I can’t imagine anyone else doing this better.

 

I’m not trying to be hyperbolic here but Mandy is kind of a perfect movie, at least for me. The plot is simple but well executed, the performances are all excellent, visually it is a treat and the score is phenomenal. This movie sadly isn’t for everybody (the people who walked out of Drive probably wouldn’t like it) but I highly recommend this movie for anyone who likes horror, stylish filmmaking or Nicolas Cage, because this is a great example of all three. It only has a limited theatrical run before it goes Video On Demand next month but Mandy is a movie you should really go out of your way to see in theatre if you are at all able.