THE SUBSTANCE (2024) – Intense, weird, horror like you have never seen before
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ 1/2
Demi Moore makes a spectacular comeback in this first-rate satirical body horror film written, directed and produced by Coralie Fargeat. She plays Elizabeth Sparkle, a fading celebrity who finds herself becoming irrelevant and being replaced for a younger version in her successful fitness exercise series on TV. She gets introduced to an underground drug that gives her an opportunity to maintain her status by creating a younger version of herself. She gets her fame but naturally before long, things go terribly wrong with unexpected side effects.
Coralie Fargeat is a force to be reckoned with her visionary style that hits you right from the films’ very first scenes. She bombards the screen with close-ups creating an uncomfortable intimacy to the subject matter. She uses music, sound effects and images to further exaggerate her point, resulting in something that is unique. These are often a thing of beauty as first but inevitably, turns nasty and too close for comfort by the end. The Substance goes beyond just its visually pleasing style. Its story provides a satirical statement on Hollywood and its unrealistic overzealous importance to youth and beauty. In a way, getting Demi Moore to play the lead here is a brilliant move because she in a way represents this culture that Hollywood and the fashion conscience industries live by. Many of us remember Demi Moore during her peak in the 1980’s in movies such as GI Jane, Striptease and of course, Ghost. Then she more or less disappeared because she had simply aged.
To Demi’s credit she looks fabulous and stunning for the role of Elizabeth Sparkle. Well, at least at the start, and before the cameras moved in way too close to reveal the age lines. It is a brave performance and quite possibly one of her career best. Equally impactful was Margaret Quailey playing the younger version of Elizabeth Sparkle. Margaret was remarkable and really commanded the screen with her persona. Then there is the delightful Dennis Quaid in a deliberately exaggerated and hilarious performance as the TV executive from hell.
The Substance is no ordinary horror movie. It is a hilarious satirical comedy while successfully delivering its promise of a bloody good time done in an artistic fashion. My only gripe is in its final act which I felt was its weakest point as it went overboard with its derangement and literally explodes in our face. It felt like it was all out to disgust and ended up feeling adulterated. Apart from that, I would say this is easily one of the best movies of the year.