The Neon Demon

R

Released Jun 24, 2016

1 hr. 57 min.

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

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List

59%

260 Reviews

Tomatometer

51%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

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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Brett D

This is what it looks like when someone is trying to be "artistic" without having any substance. This slow film is all style with no real point of view and no characters worth pulling for or even being interested in. Outside of Keanu Reeves, the acting is mid at its best movies. It's clear why they lost money on this poor attempt to be different.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

04/13/24

Full Review

Peter G

Incredible film with great performances all around

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/09/24

Full Review

Kitty _

Mesmerizing, hypnotic, disturbing and beautiful. It won't be for everyone, but I loved it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/02/24

Full Review

Sabrina F

An art house film that is not as shocking, provocative, or exciting as it wants to be. The Neon Demon is clearly a matter of style over substance. The whole "Hollywood eats its own. One day you are on top of the world, the next day you are old hat" message is nothing new. It is a message found in many other films about the entertainment industry, and many of those films, from a classic like Sunset Boulevard to the ultimate camp classic Showgirls, are far more interesting than this film. If Showgirls is a Porsche driving recklessly on the highway at top speed, The Neon Demon is the golf cart puttering along. The characters are not that interesting. The story is not that compelling, and there is a lot of dead time in this picture. I was hoping that Elle Fanning's character would reveal an interesting plot twist about herself in the end. Nope. What we get is a jump the shark twist that is supposed to be shocking but falls flat because there is absolutely no buildup to it. I was hoping for a film that would have elements of Carrie or Suspiria, but what we got was such a letdown. The one thing-other than the beautiful visuals-that makes this film almost worth watching is the always fearless Jena Malone. She has such a magnetic presence. It is kind of gross and dated that she plays the predatory queer character, but she did the best with the material she was given.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

03/02/24

Full Review

A N

I genuinely believe if you think this movie is so poor, you just didn't have the capability of thinking deeply about it. Get out of your head and go back in deeper. This movie is as visually stunning as the message it's weaving.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/19/24

Full Review

T L

I have considered several times fast-forwarding a few minutes. Since the film only consists of a few good images, but otherwise contains no discernible story.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

12/23/23

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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The Neon Demon: International Teaser 1

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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

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

Peter Bell

Vague Visages

Refn provides a movie with universal appeal, displaying how pathetic and desperate human beings can be in their moments of weakness, insecurity and greed.

Jun 22, 2023

Full Review

Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

Beauty is the beast in this a horror film as fashion layout.

Oct 29, 2022

Full Review

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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
Executive Producer: Michael Bassick, Brahim Chioua, Rachel Dik, Victor Ho, Steven Marshall, Christophe Riandee, Þór Sigurjónsson, Jeffrey Stott, Gary Michael Walters, Christopher Woodrow
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
Sound Mix: Datasat, SDDS, Dolby Digital

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