"THE SUBSTANCE" (2024) Is Coralie Fargeat's Gloriously Grotesque Stoke Of Genre Genius (REVIEW)
What makes great body horror? In theory, it is a simple premise involving the fear of one's body turning against itself through unwanted or unexpected changes in appearance, character, or personality. Often involving some sort of physical mutation or doppelganger, with a simple premise a great movie is not a guarantee. The simpler the premise the better the content has to be to not be categorized as mediocre. Sure, everything is subjective, but there is a reason why body horror is synonymous with terms like Cronenbergian or Lovecraftian, but missing from the conversation is more gender representation. French Female filmmakers like Julia Ducournau with “Titane” and “Raw”, and Coralie Fargeat are two names we see adding to this list. With Fargeat’s most recent film, “The Substance” from MUBI starring Demi Moore we get an intimate and explosive look at beauty and society's objectification and fetishization of how women look. Is it a future body horror classic or lacking some titular “substance”?
WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
A fading celebrity decides to use a black-market drug, a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself.
HOW IS IT?
This review could easily be a college thesis. Coralie Fargeat’s “The Substance” is a densely packed and cutting commentary on beauty standards, gender gaze, self-love/hate, and our struggle to find comfort in our own bodies. It is both socially aware and audaciously provocative which harmonizes into a film that takes itself seriously enough when it should, and goes fucking bonkers when you least expect it. Even at almost two and half hours “The Substance” is infectiously addictive much like the experience is for our characters, especially with an ending so absurdly weird you can’t help but love Fargeat’s complete swing for the gory fences.
We do our best to avoid hyperbole here, but it is safe to say that “The Substance” is in a league of its own in almost every way. Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) is a beautiful woman who feels like anything but and sees the only solution in drastic measures to create another version of herself with whom she must share time. The specifics of the how and contingencies are covered extremely well with enough clarity to wash away any concerns about logic, even if you don’t know exactly how it all works and you don’t need to. Her newer self, Sue (Margaret Qualley) begins bending the rules and the results are exactly as you’d hope and expect if you’re a horror fan. The performances from both Moore and Qualley are equally compelling as two different versions of the same person, but the flowers must go to Moore for going all-in on the material and how demanding it is. Her vulnerability and willingness to don some horrific-looking makeup should make her an instant star in the eyes of every horror fan, and the same goes for Fargeat. She weaves a darkly funny narrative that deeply resonates in our current cultural context, while also being shockingly grotesque with an emphasis on practical effects. It's the kind of movie you see in a theater full of people just so you can bear witness to the insanity playing out in front of you knowing that others are seeing the exact same shit you are. That’s what a great horror movie does to you.
“The Substance” is a triumph in many ways, and as mentioned above the practical effects are one of the stars of the show as is the cinematography. Pierre Olivier Persin’s makeup and effects curate a circus of visual horrors and gags that will have your jaw dropping from the sheer outrageousness of it all, something which lit us up with glee. Benjamin Kracun’s camerawork alongside Fargeat’s direction is a visual feast that uses a palette of retro hues and neons alongside a consistent yellow theme which we are still wrapping our heads around. A range of techniques and styles are deployed to give each scene a specific tone and presentation, which keeps things exciting to watch even at a technical level. Our clear adoration of “The Substance” shouldn’t waive objectivity, and as such “The Substance” will likely lose some folks with the ending. At two hours and twenty-one minutes, it doesn’t move slowly, but it does take a slow approach to landing what is essentially a batshit crazy plane of body horror. We can’t say that it took away too much from the overall experience, which is easily one of the best of the year and a reminder that we are living in such an exciting time for the genre. Films like “The Substance” are getting theatrical releases, when mere decades ago a film like this would be boycotted before it would even be released. Voices like Fargeat signal a sign that horror is in great hands, and these movies need support to keep going.
LAST RITES
“The Substance” is a triumphant body horror movie that stands up with some of the greatest in the genre by offering biting social commentary, a gory commitment to practical effects, and a show-stopping performance from Demi Moore. “The Substance” is without question one of the best movies of 2024.
THE GORY DETAILS
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Where can you watch it?
The Substance will be released in theaters on September 20, 2024!
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