Mandy, Mandy, Mandy. What do I do with you? Mandy is a bizarre film from the twisted minds of Panos Cosmatos and Aaron Stewart-Ahn. The film has some star power, landing Nicholas Cage in the lead role as Red Miller, a lumberjack whose life is disrupted by a mysterious cult and demonic biker gang. The film relies heavily on symbolism to deep dive into the gnostic world of a god called Abraxas. It is a slasher-revenge film served with a heavy dose of drugs, psychobabble and deeply immersed in the occult. It is a hard film to dissect. It is going to have a niche following, but most people are going to leave the film with a laundry list of google items they need to consult. Or they are simply going to leave the film puzzled, bewildered and possibly wanting a refund.
Cosmatos has a heavy hand with his delivery. The story itself is fairly basic. Particularly for a film drawn out to two hours, one minute. It felt every bit that long as the linear plot trudged forward. Red lives an idyllic life with his girlfriend, Mandy Bloom (Andrea Riseborough) nestled in a quiet cabin deep in the woods. Jeremiah Sand (Linus Roache) is the leader of a "Jesus freak" cult that has taken up residence nearby. When Sand spots Mandy walking in the woods, he "has to have her." Sand tasks his minions with bringing Mandy to him, paying for her in blood. The task is carried out by a demonic drug-crazed biker gang who shatter the facade of peace that Red and Mandy have enjoyed. Sand is rebuffed by Mandy, executing her in front of Red, who is left for dead when the cult departs. The act sends a really pissed-off Red on a mission of revenge that tests the boundaries of blood and gore.
That is a rather sterile synopsis. Because it doesn't happen the way we normally see a revenge/slasher play out. The film starts out with an 8mm quality that give the film a grainy appearance in the age of 4K or better. It was an intentional ploy to help set the when of the movie as 1983. The radio reinforces the date with a Ronald Reagan speech on morality. The film plays with colors, giving Mandy an almost aura-like appearance at times, leading viewers to believe she may have mystical power. The film infuses the screen with saturated colors, often opting for red to give the film a bloody, occult feel. But other colors are toyed with as well. The heavy handed coloration is augmented with a bizarre soundtrack that feels obnoxious and obtrusive at times. It felt like the film was slapping the audience around, maybe to keep them awake due to the horrible pacing. It felt narcissistic. Brooding and self-absorbed. It felt as if the film were trying to mimic things other films have done well to obtain a place in cult-film lore. This film will probably achieve that in spite of itself. It is a cerebral slasher, which is a contrast that seems ill fit, yet mildly intriguing.
So, what does it all mean? Psychiatrist Carl Jung wrote The Seven Sermons To The Dead which relied related to the teachings of a Gnostic named Basilides, regarding Abraxas. Abraxas was a god believed to be both good and evil. It was, to Basilides and others of his ilk, the greatest god. There was a scene where Jeremiah's face is transposed with Mandy's, possibly alluding to the dual nature of Abraxas as good and evil. There are heavy doses of sexuality, references to Jupiter, centipedes and other symbols that relate back to the original depictions and writings regarding Abraxas. It felt to me like a muddled-together mess of concepts pretending to be deep. Like a regurgitation of ideas loosely tied together into a slasher, but with a feeling that the genre has been elevated to a cerebral plane. It just felt like a bunch of confused nonsense to me with visual qualities that did not seem to achieve the cinematic significance they were shooting for.
Mandy is one of those films that is going to have a cult following. Interesting, for a film steeped in the occult. I didn't like some of the references or the way the story was framed, I didn't care for the heavy saturation of colors, I hated the pacing and the obnoxious sound track was distracting. The dialogue was often lost in the heavy use of filters, which seemed to be intended to add dramatic effect to the delivery, but came across as cheesy, muted and difficult to follow. In a film where the story is difficult to follow, there is no need to further confuse things. The performances were okay, with Cage delivering an over-the-top bathroom scene that seethed of red rage. But I wasn't really digging any of the actors, Cage included. The film is very visual, very gory and filled with obscure references and sexuality, to include full frontal male nudity, which added to an R rating already firmly entrenched in the bloody, gory violence. This is a niche film. But not my niche. If you like bizarre films and don't mind heavy handed cinematography, this film may appeal to you. For me, and most people who bother to actually read this, the film is a firm pass. Not recommended. 4/10.
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