A stylistic body horror not meant for the faint-hearted
The Substance is a 2024 gory horror movie directed by Coralie Fargeat, starring Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley in the same role. The critically acclaimed body horror won the Best Screenplay award at the Cannes Film Festival and is a commentary on ageism and beauty standards in Hollywood.
The movie is set in LA and begins with Oscar-winning movie star, Elizabeth Sparkle being kicked out of her fitness cable show. She has just turned 50 and is deemed by the studio to be too old and ugly to continue starring in the show. Her boss, Harvey (played by Dennis Quaid) has no qualms in being blasé about it as he puts out a casting call for a younger actress to replace Elizabeth.
Upset by the events, she gets into a car accident following which she is checked upon by a strange but handsome, young nurse. He suggests that she should try The Substance, a drug that will turn her into a younger, more perfect self. Elizabeth hesitates before giving in and ordering the drug. Think of her as a 21st-century Dorian Gray where paintings and devil pacts are replaced with USBs and injections.
However, there are strict rules that she needs to follow to avoid some mysterious and dangerous consequences. But of course, there would be no movie if she followed the rules, eh?
The Substance is a style-and-substance project that goes all out in all technical aspects. It uses eerie, unsettling music with echoing melodies that seal the deal. It is also extremely graphic and doesn’t shy away from depicting body horror, using bright colours to intensify the gory details. Be warned, this one is not for the faint-hearted. But whether horror is your cup of tea or not, you can’t deny that the execution is impeccable.
Especially in the camera department which combines shaky handheld shots with static mid-shots that represent Elizabeth’s state of mind and increase the suspense without devolving into jumpscares. Overrun with symbolism, the nuanced style offers plenty for overanalyzers who will definitely love picking apart the subtle foreshadowing that is peppered throughout The Substance.
However, after 40 minutes, the quick cuts and music video-style explicit montages get tedious. We get it, it is a satire on the whole Hollywood industry including the ‘sex sells’ approach. But that has been established in the first minute itself. We are no prudes, but why keep dragging it when you’ve made your point?
Thankfully, the movie switches from style to substance (pun fully intended) in the second half as we get to the escalating conflict that will make up the climax. But once the first climax ends, we do not expect the second one (this time, no pun intended) which just gets extremely messy. It seems as if the director has lost the plot and turned it into a self-indulging, chaotic finale with a whole lot of plot twists that need viewers to suspend their beliefs even more.
Overall, The Substance is an entertaining, intense body horror that reels viewers in immediately. The scare factor shares the space with the movie’s message as it constantly reminds us that it is a satire on beauty standards. But, unfortunately, it overstays its welcome with a messy and over-the-top ending that reduces its rewatch ranking.
Read More: The Substance Ending Explained
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Verdict - 6.5/10
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