Movie review by Debbie Lynn Elias
Some guys just have a thing for snakes and it seems that our favorite parseltongue speaker Daniel Radcliffe is no different. In his new film, the devilishly delicious HORNS from director Alexandre Aja, Radcliffe flexes his serpentine skills yet again, this time as the young Ig Perrish. A supernatural thriller that in almost genre-bending fashion melds the battle of good versus evil with tines of fantasy, romance, a noirish murder mystery and even a little gothic flair, this decadent delight is a multi-pronged, interwoven tapestry of Biblical allegory that pushes the boundaries to almost sacrilegious silliness but then artfully reins itself in with the strength of performances, indelible visuals and pure unadulterated fun.
Ig Perrish and Merrin Williams are heaven sent. Friends since childhood, smitten with each other almost as long, and passionately in love since forever, they are pure joy, ethereal joy. But just as Ig proposes marriage to Merlin, all hell breaks loose. Merlin not only rejects him, but dumps him. Hurt, angry and confused, Ig drinks himself into a stupor only to awaken the next morning to learn that Merlin was found dead at the base of their idyllic treehouse in the forest. Ig is the number one suspect.
Daniel Radcliffe is the perfect person to play Ig Perrish. Choosing to embrace Radcliffe’s globally recognized wizarding past, director Aja himself saw the irony – and humor – of Radcliffe coming back into a magic and the supernatural, while also recognizing the depth of emotion that Radcliffe now brings to his adult performances.
As Ig, Radcliffe’s excitement is carried into his performance as he is intense, strong, emotionally powerful. You feel Ig’s quiet rage and frustration and pain emanate from the screen. The fury, and the calm, are palpable and believable. Radcliffe knows how to convey pain and frustration and angst and nails it here.
Juno Temple is an elfin angel. As Merrin, her spirit floats, her smile is infectious and sweet. As Temple herself acknowledges, “so much of that is my cinematographer.” While cinematographer Frederick Elmes does lens Temple with an ethereal essence and light, it is the purity of emotion that comes from Temple herself.
Supporting cast are outstanding, starting with Kathleen Quinlan who is ideal as Ig’s mom, Lydia. David Morse walks a fine line as the bereft and angry father, Dale Williams and Joe Anderson is quite simply a kick in the ass as Ig’s brother, Terry, and never more so that in a supremely decadent hallucinogenic drug-ingesting scene between he and Radcliffe. Heather Graham is ideal as the red-lipsticked, red-polished, red-shoed waitress Veronica. The perfect temptress.
Devilishly delicious, decadent fun, HORNS is a highlight of Halloween at this movies this year!
Directed by Alexandre Aja
Written by Keith Bunin based on the novel by Joe Hill
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Juno Temple, Max Minghella, David Morse, Kathleen Quinlan, Joe Anderson, Heather Graham
Rated: R, Run Time: 120 mins
