The Neon Demon

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The Neon Demon

R

Released Jun 24, 2016

1h 57m

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

59%

Tomatometer

261 Reviews

51%

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5,000+ Ratings

Jesse (Elle Fanning) moves to Los Angeles just after her 16th birthday to launch a career as a model. The head of her agency tells the innocent teen that she has the qualities to become a top star. Jesse soon faces the wrath of ruthless vixens who despise her fresh-faced beauty. On top of that, she must contend with a seedy motel manager and a creepy photographer. As Jesse starts to take the fashion world by storm, her personality changes in ways that could help her against her cutthroat rivals.

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Critics Consensus

The Neon Demon is seductively stylish, but Nicolas Winding Refn's assured eye can't quite compensate for an underdeveloped plot and thinly written characters.

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K. Austin Collins

The Ringer

The Neon Demon is Refn's best movie, or at least the one that best matches his style to his subject.

Aug 10, 2017

Full Review

Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

The photograph is stunning. But the story is a hot mess.

Rated: D

Mar 21, 2017

Full Review

Adam Nayman

Cineaste Magazine

That everything is intended in bad taste is one thing; that it's all finally more bland than bitter is another.

Nov 8, 2016

Full Review

Diana Tuova

Spotlight on Film

The audience may have built their hopes in the beginning, but their stoic patience is never rewarded – if anything, Refn throws at them one crazy scene after another, never sparing them any of his nonsense.

Rated: 2/5

Aug 2, 2024

Full Review

Brendan Cassidy

InSession Film

This is a world that is anything but subtle, and to approach this material in any other way would have defeated the purpose.

Rated: A-

Jun 18, 2024

Full Review

Zach Pope

Zach Pope Reviews

Hidden meanings, hidden messages, watching it for the first time it leaves you thinking its insanely great.

Aug 7, 2023

Full Review

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Audience Member

Sweet lord! I want that hour and 58 minutes of my life back. This was nonsensical - and not in a good way. How in the heck did they convince Keanu and other notable names to sign up for this?? There is just no throughline at all with the plot, the characters' motivations, an underlying evil, a stated philosophy... NONE of it makes sense. Anyone who is calling this "Art" probably believes the emperor's clothes look great on him.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

11/29/24

Full Review

Mx S

It's pretty, but it simultaneously tries to say too much while not saying enough. I'm not a dialogue dependent audience member, but at times this movie felt up it's own butt too much with long silent dragging scenes obviously trying to say something deep and meaningful but not managing to do so.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

11/25/24

Full Review

Ricardo d

O filme tem todo um diferencial devido a escolha da direção em tratar um tema que já foi falado em outros filmes, mas usando uma linguagem figurativa. Temos um belo trabalho de fotografia, iluminação, maquiagem e figurino. Não poderia ser diferente em se tratando do tema sobre moda e beleza visual. Quanto ao roteiro, mesmo citando questões importantes, não deixa de ser uma trama superficial. Todos os personagens são maniqueístas, e até mesmo a personagem principal não tem profundidade, o que nos faz não se importar com seu destino. Talvez isso não torne o filme com nota máxima.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

11/17/24

Full Review

John S

As others have accurately pointed out - it looks nice and has a cool electronic soundtrack, but that's it. The rest is negative. 'Slow', 'boring', 'pointless', 'laughable', 'repulsive', and 'cynical' are all appropriate descriptors for the various elements of this film. I'll also add, the movie contains both necrophilia and cannibalism, so heads up. There are also basically no likeable characters in this movie, it's over long in terms of runtime, and in each individual scene everything takes frustratingly long to happen even for a slow burn. Lastly, the message of the movie is such low hanging fruit that no one needs a reminder.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

10/29/24

Full Review

Corinna O

The most beautiful bad movie I have ever watched. Beautiful visuals, music that reminds me of Blade Runner, but lacking in everything else. The characters are neither relatable nor likeable, the story seems disjointed and slow. When it finally does pick up speed, it doesn't manage to get its point across. The final minutes of this film are shocking in both their imagery and lack of substance.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

10/21/24

Full Review

Rainier A

Insane. Mad. Brilliant.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/15/24

Full Review

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Nicolas Winding Refn

Director

Elle Fanning

Jesse

Karl Glusman

Dean

Jena Malone

Ruby

Bella Heathcote

Gigi

Abbey Lee

Sarah

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Synopsis

Jesse (Elle Fanning) moves to Los Angeles just after her 16th birthday to launch a career as a model. The head of her agency tells the innocent teen that she has the qualities to become a top star. Jesse soon faces the wrath of ruthless vixens who despise her fresh-faced beauty. On top of that, she must contend with a seedy motel manager and a creepy photographer. As Jesse starts to take the fashion world by storm, her personality changes in ways that could help her against her cutthroat rivals.

Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
Producer: Lene Børglum, Sidonie Dumas, Vincent Maraval, Nicolas Winding Refn
Screenwriter: Nicolas Winding Refn, Mary Laws, Polly Stenham
Distributor: Amazon Studios, Broad Green Pictures
Production Co: Vendian Entertainment, Space Rocket Nation, Gaumont, Wild Bunch, Bold Films
Rating: R (Bloody Images|A Scene of Aberrant Sexuality|Disturbing Violent Content|Graphic Nudity|Language)
Genre: Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 24, 2016, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 30, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.3M
Runtime: 1h 57m
Sound Mix: Datasat, SDDS, Dolby Digital

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