Only God Forgives
If you have been with me from the beginning, you’ll know that I am largely in contention about the 84th Annual Academy Awards because they negated one film; Drive. Choosing to titillate over novelty film and its star Jean DuJardin (who, by the way, I am sure is great but come on) instead of celebrating this visceral violent drama from Danish actor Nicolas Winding Refn. The poignant and shocking Drive was dismissed, heavily, and it aches my head like I am being pounded with the unnamed leads hammer. So naturally, when Only God Forgives came out, the riveting and frankly, disturbing, erm, Danish-French arthouse crime thriller, piqued my interest.
And happily split critics down the middle.
A happy quote that bounces around with Only God Forgives is that it is a Refn movies starring Ryan Gosling as opposed to a Gosling movie directed by Refn (of which Drive was.) Letting his imagination out of the box, Only God Forgives is based in criminal underbelly of Bangkok and it’s American inhabitants, particularly Julian who runs an underground boxing club. When Julian’s brother Billy rapes and murders a prostitute, an elusive cop nicknamed The Angel of Death reeks revenge. Only when the brothers’ mother Cristal appears to seek similar vengeance for the subsequent death of Billy, Julian is thrown into a bloody fight.
Part of Refn’s talent derives from his eye for evocative, disconcerting and hauntingly beautiful imagery. Only God Forgives is perforated with ultra-violet visuals that is alarm and perturb but equally engage the viewer with this horrific stirring. Refn astutely establishes a palette of the fantastical real scenes, enthusing the bloody drama with the provocative surrealism of Bangkok’s neon lights, Refn’s work here dwells and battles with your mind for complete control. Though clear homages to Asian horrors and directors like Miike Takeshi’s are paramount here, Refn allows his unique style to add credentials to is already bustling portfolio. Nightmarish, the imagery is pivotal to Refn’s vision.
Alongside this is exotic dreamscape is this, quite frankly, stellar soundtrack and score. The chaos on screen is set alongside this delectable music that rivals the intellectual and invoking one of Under The Skin. Using Drive’s exquisite composer (that sound track is equally phenomenal,) Only God Forgives enters this realm of melody that brings a layer of emotion and depth to Refn’s story. Twisting orchestras with the intense electronic feel, Only God Forgives is soundtrack will slice through your mind and enhances the omnious Refn experience.
Of course the acting is strong here, from Ryan Gosling and Vithaya Pansringarm, thrust into a murky world as opposites when really their vein of justice is similar. Kristen Scott Thomas is on top form as the antagonising mother who preys on her “lesser” son Julian and the villainous backlash of her tongue is much more of a weapon than the Angel’s samurai wings. It’s just that their characters aren’t necessary important for engaging the audience and if you fall on the negative side of Only God Forgives, you’ll find it flaws the entire film.
Yet, the film will spellbind you, whether you hate it or not.