SUSPIRIA (2018)

Directed By: Luca Guadagnino 
Written By: David Kajganich 
Based On Characters Created By: Dario Argento & Daria Nicolodi 
Cinematography: Sayombhu Mukdeeprom 
Editor: Walter Fasano 
Music By: Thom Yorke 


Cast: Dakota Johnson, Tilda Swinton, Alek Wek, Chloe Grace Moretz, Mia Goth, Jessica Harper 

A darkness swirls at the center of a world-renowned dance company, one that will engulf the artistic director, an ambitious young dancer, and a grieving psychotherapist. Some will succumb to the nightmare. Others will finally wake up.

While inspired by the original film this one is more tied to history and politics. Allowing director Luca Guadagnino to make the story more his own organically.

The film slowly delves and draws you into it’s world and reveals more the deeper you go into it. As it is naturalistic yet all it’s Own and meant to show horror can exist in reality as much as in fantasy.

The film takes It’s time but has it’s moments Along the way to unraveling the mystery and characters. Though more organic this movie casts a spell and has a dark magic of it’s own that leaves the audience spellbound in certain scenes.

The film has show stopping scenes of dance macabre not to mention dance, violence and horror. With some grotesque supernatural yet naturalistic violent scenes that showcase the pagan intense ways of the witches. Which feels full as it is quite the experience watching the film. As it feels epic yet stays so close to the characters and manages to feel small almost a little claustrophobic.

There is one scene particular where a dancer is tortured by proxy they has to be seen to be believed though it had even hinted at in the trailer. To see it all is to be shaken.

Dakota Johnson giver herself over to the role and comes off as her most believable role. She actually trained in ballet for two years in preparation for the role.

Tilda Swindon in three roles seems unnecessary and more like a gimmick. A great stunt but somewhat distracting as it makes little of any real Impact or sense other then to more feed her experimental fun. Including her as the stint casting as supposed German actor Lutz Ebersdorf though the audience can easily tell It’s her by voice and the not convincing make-up bit gives it a nice try though cold have easily been distracting or used to throw the audience off believing the make-up is that way for a surprise or reveal that will take place in the story. In the end it goes along with the experimental style of the film.

Though the film is experimental you are never In punt if the director’s vision and intentions.

By the end, the film feels less spiritual it like you are entering an appealing vessel that you won’t soon Forget. As this is a film of unlimited concentration.

The film reminds one a bit of BLACK SWAN. Where half the fear was due to these fragile bodies being pushed way past the point and how easily they or parts of them could be broken easily. Which also conforms to their brittle emotional state.

Thom Yorke of the band Radiohead’s score is great. It‘s haunting as the film is hypnotic. Sets the perfect tone of uneasiness yet you give yourself into it. 

Grade: B