Summary
Coralie FargeatsThe Substanceis abody horror filmthat takes afterJulia Ducournau’sTitane.
Somehow,The Substancesfinale far exceeds the bloodiness ofRevenges.
What Is ‘The Substance’ About?
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Shes simply not “hot” enough anymore.
Abrasive, overexaggerated sound effects are piped in wherever possible.
This visual maximalism has varying mileage and can become grating as it leaves little space for actual character building.
A fading celebrity, Elisabeth Sparkle, turns to a mysterious drug that promises to restore her youth. The drug temporarily creates a younger version of herself, named Sue, who quickly ascends to the fame Elisabeth once craved.
With a hefty 140-minute runtime, this makesThe Substanceexhausting in spots where it should be exhilarating.
At its core,The Substanceacts as a feminist update onOscar WildesThe Picture of Dorian Gray.
Alternatively,Elisabeth and Sue could team up together.
The suspense here makes the narrative flatness of the films first two-thirds more apparent and disappointing.
The Substancehad its World Premiere at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.
