THE SUBSTANCE (2024) Review
Directed by Coralie Fargeat
What makes ‘The Substance’ totally worth seeing is that given the gruesomeness of the film visually, you’ll still keep your eyes on the screen because of how immersed you are with its story, how invested you are with its characters that the only thing you want to know is what will happen next.
The Substance clearly isn’t for everybody. It’s uncomfortably gripping but you’ll manage your way out of all the gore, maybe even the fact that we’re all going old and of course, the body horror because of how engaging the story is.
Demi Moore at 61 still looks great. But even with her physique and beauty, you can feel how she made herself vulnerable to express the frustrations of her character Elisabeth Sparkle. Margaret Qualley is a gem. Her face and body is to die for, perfect for the character Sue – what she represents, which are the things that Elisabeth aspires but can’t because of her age.
You can also look at The Substance as kind of a fairy tale. Having two bodies but only one can operate every seven days. Cinderella-like but the gore is Alien-like.
The Substance is the kind of film that will leave you in awe because of the material, how it was executed and how the themes of the story will affect you. There’s more to it than just an old woman trying to recreate herself in a wish-granting, sci-fi type of fantasy. What it will present are the consequences and how they are presented will also question your morale because the decisions of the two characters make sense even if they know the outcome of their bad decisions.
You’ll go for the gore but you’ll leave with amazement of how it was written, acted and directed. This is the first film from director Coralie Fargeat that I saw and I’m looking forward to seeing more of her works.
4 OUT OF 5 STARS
‘The Substance‘ opens in Philippine cinemas on September 25 from CreaZion Studios and MUBI. Rated R-16 by the MTRCB.