The Idol First appearance at the Cannes Film Festival. When it aired the first two episodes, the series was criticized for its offensive pornography. The crew must replace the director to avoid a wave of boycotts, according to New York Times.
After being widely broadcast, the direction of criticism was directed at Jennie. Many opinions believe that the female singer ruined her image when she agreed to bend and dance sexually in the movie called garbage.
But when it comes to the next episodes, the audience not only “slams Jennie”, The Idol there are more problems from the main actor to the script, the angle.
![The movie with Jennie (BlackPink) was criticized for being so sexy that it tortured viewers - Photo 1. The movie with Jennie (BlackPink) was criticized for being so sexy that it tortured viewers - Photo 1.](https://gamek.mediacdn.vn/133514250583805952/2023/6/17/photo-3-1686963410974681725756-1686991916956-1686991917533294652140.jpg)
Cut from the scene that was rated as “the worst sex scene in history”
Viewers are looked down upon because The Idol like a porn movie
Mini series The Idol there are a total of 6 episodes, about 50 minutes/episode. The film tells the story of the female lead Jocelyn (played by Lily Rose-Depp) who endures all the stigma and ugliness in the entertainment world to get promoted.
The film does not contain scenes of violence and gore, but it is the misery of the main character through scenes that promote sex, or as director and screenwriter Sam Levinson calls “artistic suffering”. completely upset the audience.
The film revolves around the character’s fatigue through unacceptable sex scenes.
In the film, Lily-Rose Depp is criticized for always looking sluggish throughout the film. The goal of becoming a pop icon hidden in a haggard person is hopeless.
![The movie with Jennie (BlackPink) was criticized for being so sexy that it tortured viewers - Photo 2. The movie with Jennie (BlackPink) was criticized for being so sexy that it tortured viewers - Photo 2.](https://gamek.mediacdn.vn/133514250583805952/2023/6/17/photo-2-1686963410038849627235-1686991918121-16869919182101585678599.jpg)
The hot scene in The Idol just makes viewers uncomfortable
When he met the healer Tedros played by The Weeknd, the two characters’ relationship was… Guardian described as “sick, distorted personality” through sex scenes.
What the producer wants is that the sex scene in the movie does not make others excited but creates discomfort. The increasing level of making the audience feel like torture.
After Lily-Rose Depp, The Weeknd was criticized for having obscene lines. The illness in the character makes the audience “have to look at the male singer with different eyes”.
After being criticized, The Weeknd said it was intentional. “Tedros is a deviant. He’s just trying to control Jocelyn even though he has nothing. We want the viewer to suffer for the character,” said The Weeknd.
It is true that viewers feel miserable, but not for the characters but for themselves.
Promoting the trend of “torture porn”
According to Guardianit’s difficult to define a film that’s publicly shown as having pornographic content, but in a trial, US Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart said: “I knew it when I saw it.”
Typically, “torture porn” films are retrograde, shocking work with no artistic or narrative value. The term “torture porn” became popular about 20 years ago in the mid-2000s.
After the box office success of Sawcinemas are filled with movies like Hostels 1 and 2, including scenes of young tourists being tortured by cults of death. Human Centipede (Human Centipede) There is a scene where the person being arrested is sewn with another person’s back part to form a centipede, which is disgusting to viewers. While A Serbian Film depicts a man drugged, tortured by heresy.
One of the problems with “torture porn” is not so much violence, but hatred of people. The Idol is one of them when the director or screenwriter shows contempt for his character, but asks the viewer to revel in that misery.
![The movie with Jennie (BlackPink) was criticized for being sexually suggestive to the point of torturing viewers - Photo 3. The movie with Jennie (BlackPink) was criticized for being so sexually suggestive that it tortured viewers - Photo 3.](https://gamek.mediacdn.vn/133514250583805952/2023/6/17/photo-1-16869634090341360092468-1686991918642-1686991918748832755053.jpg)
The roles of Lily-Rose Depp and The Weeknd were both misleadingly criticized
The background of the show is constantly bleak, depicting a music industry full of evil people, instead of portraying the singer as normal as everyone else.
Every moment of shame and pain is “enjoyed” by the character. Like Human Centipede reveling in crude surgery and scientific consequences, The Idol wanted to overcome every setback, trauma, and moment of despair Jo had to face.
“Even with Depp’s limited acting ability, those moments were nauseating. Depp’s high cheekbones were highlighted making the character appear unwell and pale. Any insults, including love education, mental health… are all included”, The Guardian comment.
Even when the character is in physical pain, the show offers no insight into the pop star’s struggles other than grueling punishment. “Probably the worst part of The Idol is the nature of ‘torture porn’, nothing more”, the British newspaper commented.
Despite criticism, Sam Levinson – director The Idol – said he was very confident about the film, no matter the criticism. “Me and my colleagues, the crew understood that we created a controversial film, but we did not go astray.
“I just think we’ve made the biggest hit of the summer. We live in a world that has a lot of sexual content, especially the world of pop music. My film perfectly captures that.” said the director.
The female lead Lily-Rose Depp also defended the role. “Jocelyn is a sexy pop star, showing in every aspect. The scene is naked, reflecting all the psychological and sexual traumas that show the character’s inner self,” the actress said.
According to Page Six, The Weeknd has no intention of making a second film amid criticism. However, HBO head Casey Bloys is optimistic about the future of the mini series.
“For better or worse, we’re all talking about The Idol“, said an HBO insider.