One of the few benefits of being relegated to couch duty is that I finally have the chance to catch up on all the TV shows and movies from the past few years. How this one slipped by me I don’t know but Mandy is a nearly hallucinogenic experience featuring a quasi-religious cult, demons on motorbikes, batches of reality-bending super acid, and Nicolas Cage unhinged…need I say more?
Panos Cosmatos clearly has a unique vision and directing style. Psychedelia is its own character throughout the film and there’s a powerful energy, an undeniable intensity, as the credits roll over the opening scene that reminds me of post-Vietnam era war films of the 70s. Those movies influenced several more in the 80s (when this film is set) and I can’t help but feel there is a connection since Cosmatos talked about exploring the 60s/80s connection in his debut film, Beyond the Black Rainbow. It’s all subtext in this all-but-straightforward, revenge-fueled bloodbath but he set the bar pretty high in terms of weirdness so I’m curious to see what he does next.
My affinity for Cage as an avant-garde performer is no secret and this is one of those eccentric, maniacal roles that’s just made for him. The affectionately coined phrase “Cage-rage” is almost what you come to expect from him in these low budget movies but it doesn’t do justice to the energy he brings to a project. His days as one of Hollywood’s prominent leading men are behind him but his ability and willingness to wade into the deepest waters of performance art are unparalleled. You can see it reflected in the performances of his peers, particularly that of Andrea Riseborough in the titular role and Linus Roache as one of the most loathsome antagonists you could think of. Even though there’s a ton of stylistic choices that give the movie it’s identity, it’s the performances that make the altered reality memorable.
The sensory stimuli in this movie are off the rails. The camera exposure and lighting techniques are trippy, to say the least. Conventional cinematography was thrown right out the window but Benjamin Loeb’s work here is engulfing nonetheless, almost like you were unknowingly dosed with LSD before the movie started. There’s no shying away from the kaleidoscopic rainbow that permeates nearly every scene but it’s a large part of what makes the movie so special. Throw in two-time Oscar-nominated composer Jóhann Jóhannsson’s incredible but absolutely bonkers original score to weave it all together and it easily adds up to one of the strangest and most creative movies I can remember.
It’s definitely not going to be everyone’s cup of tea but it’s fucking awesome! I could easily see someone disliking this movie but I found it captivating. Even though it’s a bit sluggish in some parts, the overall impression is going to stick with me for a long time.
Recommendation: Tired of staying home and looking to go on a trip? Then this is just the ticket. It’s intense and probably unlike anything you’ve ever seen but not for the faint of heart.