Before officially landing at box offices nationwide, The Substance (Magic medicine) has caused a storm across social networks, attracting a lot of attention and discussion from netizens. Exploiting the theme of body horror, the film has successfully brought a terrifying, hair-raising party in the context of the market for superhero-psychological-murderer horror films that are gradually declining and no longer attracts the audience.
The Substance is a movie phenomenon thanks to its unique content and presentation
In 2024, film studios A24 and Neon lead the horror film race, far ahead of other competitors in the same category. However, with the masterpiece The Substance just “released” not long ago, MUBI is of course a face full of potential, even difficult for the two “big guys” in the scare film industry. The work of Coralie Fargeat, a French female director who only has two film projects in hand, was harshly rejected by Universal Pictures because the original script did not bring a profitable element, so this will be quite a risky gamble. Thanks to that, the MUBI streaming platform quickly “bid” for its own “war horse”.
The film has grossed nearly $15 million domestically and $39 million in foreign markets, increasing its global total to nearly $53.6 million, an extremely positive number. Compared to the initial budget of 17 million USD, The Substance is predicted to have broken even and started making a profit, marking a new milestone in theaters. Previously at the Cannes Film Festival, the film received a warm response from the audience, and also won the Best Screenplay award for Coralie Fargeat.
The film is doing well at the global box office
After a period of censorship, The Substance's heat has recently begun to explode, with a series of reviews praising the top 10-point quality and meticulous production. Because it is a horror movie, it is often overlooked due to clichés from decades ago, The Substance has far exceeded the expectations of movie fans, and everyone praises it as a horror movie. best 2024.
One of the first attention-grabbing elements is the nude scenes that were introduced early in the media promotion process. Here, the naked, naked flesh of the two female leads was exposed right before the audience's eyes, naked people walking back and forth as if nothing happened. Of course, the plus point here is that the beauty of Demi Moore and young star Margaret Qualley is extremely eye-catching, the hot curves are fully utilized in each frame, causing fans to burn their eyes “unable to react.” ”.
The Substacne is filled with 18+ scenes, true body horror
Ignoring the 18+ factor, The Substance vividly portrays the ungrateful lives of women, especially celebrities. For individuals who depend on public recognition, being labeled as “out of date” is a career bottleneck that no one wants. When the name of the female lead Elizabeth (Demi Moore) no longer holds weight in the hearts of the public, it means that she has somewhat lost herself, the source of life that once nourished her when she was at the top of her glory. optical.
After more than 40 years in the profession, Demi Moore's acting is no longer controversial. Her old, worn appearance when in the situation of “having to rush after work” makes viewers both terrified and incessantly moan because of the heavy nature of the film. There is an opinion that if it had been filmed in the early 2000s The Substance Like Demi Moore's fate because she also had to go through a career crisis for more than 2 decades, audiences and fans are no longer interested in the female star's entertainment activities.
The appearance standards set by society force women to plunge into the race to maintain their beauty
The Substance successfully exploits the unreasonable appearance standards that the entertainment industry imposes on women. They are obsessed with beauty and frivolous perfection that will fade away in a few decades and be quickly eliminated by other generations of young people, leading to Elizabeth's “self-destruction” when looking for a “miracle drug”. ” on the black market. The clear differentiation between the mother and child also shows the cost of aging – a very normal natural process of humans. Not only can they not retain their youth, but they also lose their career and the opportunity to be loved.
Critic Le Hong Lam shared on his personal page: “The Substance possesses a very creative script, despite inheriting from many previous masters such as David Cronenberg and Stanley Kubrick. The film also incorporates many profound messages about the entertainment industry, about women's obsession with age or how to maintain a star's aura. The special thing is that they are shown in an exaggerated way through the creepy images of body horror movies. However, the film's visuals are very impressive and artistic, not just a pure entertainment film.”
The Substance is an opportunity to revive Demi Moore's gloomy career after more than 2 decades of being forgotten by showbiz
Groups specializing in movie reviews also gave positive comments about the movie: “I must admit that this movie looks and sounds extremely great. The look that makes the audience afraid is not because of the scare but because of the top body horror. The sound mix is very good, not jerky. Sincere advice, go to the theater to fully enjoy the movie, remember not to eat corn while watching the movie and pregnant women should not watch it.
The body horror element is fully utilized, making the audience shudder
Another internet user commented: “The scene near the end of the movie when the two versions encounter each other in the same frame is literally “explosive”. Maybe some of you don't like this movie, but for me it's one of the best movies of this year, I vote this movie 100/10.
From production, casting, script and makeup all deserve 10 points
The film dissects women's psychology excellently, but the way it is constructed is naked and cruel
Social media exploded with praising reviews
The Substance possesses a groundbreaking, creative script, taking the theme of gender prejudice as the center of every problem raised. The film's color also turns pink and purple, evoking nostalgia and nostalgia for a bygone golden age of Hollywood, partly connected to the life of a sad woman looking back on her youthful years. For women, time is the cruelest thing when it can take away what they once had, what they once enjoyed in happiness before reaching middle age. The ending of the film also shows the harshness of the entertainment industry, when celebrities live for fame and also die for fame. A bloody and disgusting film project but without losing its artistic quality.
The Substance (Magic Medicine) will officially hit theaters on November 1 in theaters nationwide.
