Mandy (2018) Review

Panos Cosmatos’s Mandy was a monumental hit both with audiences and critics alike back in 2018 but somehow I totally missed it. Thankfully Dazzler Media have devotedly deemed the psychotropic horror worthy of a Blu-ray release allowing this reviewer to right his wrong and finally see if the film lives up to the huge hype it created.

Surprisingly Mandy surpassed anything I expected, totally transporting me into its weird and warped world for the entirety of its 2 hour running time. Placing one foot in reality and another firmly in fantasy the film challenges the viewer throughout ultimately appearing as a modern myth with its central hero Red Miller, played by the legendary Nicolas Cage, forced on a journey of revenge where he must face demons both inner and outer before he can finally find redemption.

Set in 1983 Red lives with the love of his life Mandy Bloom (The Grudge and Possessor’s Andrea Riseborough) deep in the forest away from mankind and its noise. A tragic chance encounter with the crazed cult the Children of the New Dawn throws Mandy in the path of their sadistic leader Jeremiah Sand (Linus Roache from Homeland) who desires to possess her and sees no reason not to give in to that whim.

Beating Red and kidnapping Mandy, Jeremiah and his subservient cronies smash the couple’s peaceful existence compelling the hero to hunt the cult down and extract a bloody vengeance. However before he can find the heartless hippy’s he must first face a gang of otherworldly bikers with seemingly supernatural powers who the cult called in to assist them.

Brutal yet beautiful every image is like a moving work of art from the stunning landscapes to the fantastical astral projections to the visceral violence and surreal sets. Innovativly shot it is hard to comprehend that this is only Cosmatos’s second feature and the assurance and ability he shows commanding both the camera and the actors is astounding.

Focusing on Red and Mandy’s relationship for the first hour Andrea Riseborough is a revelation as the titulature character bringing a calm serenity to the screen while establishing the deep and tender bound the couple have.

Like Helen of Troy her chance encounter with Jeremiah, who instantly becomes obsessed with her, launches the phantasmagorical and frightening events that follow and the second hour ramps up the action and horror as Red’s rampage marches onwards.

Having written about the fascinating phenomenon that is Nic Cage in my Primal review most people will know that there is always a risk when it comes to casting the unpredictable actor that his performance may not be entirely convincing. For every Willy’s Wonderland there is a Jiu Jitsu and it seems Cage’s commitment to the character is as unreliable as the volume of his voice.

In Mandy however Cage gives one of his finest performances in modern years, perfectly portraying the gut wrenching loss caused by the cults horrifying actions. There is a fantastic scene midway through as Red enters his trashed bathroom battered and bloody and screams with a primordial energy that perfectly summarises the physically and emotionally torment he has endured.

As mentioned from here Mandy moves from dialogue and drama to all out action as Red visits his old friend Caruthers (Predator’s Bill Duke) for supplies and we watch as he forges a strange yet stunning steel bladed weapon with which he will battle the forces of evil. Interesting the film becomes more stylised and hypnotic as Red ingests all manner of substances in his quest enhancing the dreamlike feel of the entire film.

Worthy of every piece of praise it gained Mandy is a movie that demands repeat viewing to properly take in all that it gives out. A truly original cinematic experience Mandy takes elements from ancient mythology, 80’s satanic paranoia, pulp Sci-Fi novels, action flicks, classic horror and more to make a mesmerising movie that resonates with your mind, body and soul.

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