“The Neon Demon” may just be the fashion industry’s version of “Black Swan.” The psychological thriller, whose theatrical release was this past Friday, tells the story of Jesse (Elle Fanning), an aspiring 16-year-old model with the face of an angel. Jesse’s innocent exterior and young age make her extremely vulnerable, both in reality and in the world of high fashion. The film’s subject matter make the themes of objectification and exploitation obvious, as Jesse is both used and oddly eager to be used if it means she can get what she wants. The film balances the line between critiquing the sexualization of vulnerable women and gleefully fetishizing its subjects through beautiful, if disturbing cinematography that comments on the nature of beauty itself.
Several parts of “The Neon Demon” contain unsavory subject matter, but this is not done simply for shock value. The sickening moment where Ruby (Jena Malone) engages in necrophilia is juxtaposed against the disturbingly beautiful shots of Jesse’s dead, or apparently dead, body, commenting on the disturbing fetishization of dead or injured women that is so common in fashion editorials. And while fetishization is not at all uncommon in horror films, the scenes where Jesse is sexualized hold the disturbing tension underlying the idea that she is seen as nothing more than an object for other people’s pleasure. It is also worth noting that most of these scenes do not come from the perspective of the infamous “male gaze,” as the film’s most predatory characters are women.
While the plot of the film is confusing and hallucinogenic, it completely captures the attention of the viewer. Every moment where Jesse is on screen, the viewer is wondering whether if this girl will indeed be victimized by the predatory women and men around her, or if she is the predator herself. “The Neon Demons” is ruthless in its critique of the shallowness of our society, forcing the viewer to see the models onscreen as sexual objects because that is how these twisted characters wish to be seen. And when 16-year-old Jesse is so eager to be nothing more than a pretty face, something that at first sounds normal in the modern world, the film jars the viewer by highlighting exactly how disturbing this phenomenon is. Critics of the film argue that its blatant sexuality and the protagonist’s morally gray character vilify women, but the vilification is entirely intentional, pointing out that our society worships women who are like these characters as near goddesses. “The Neon Demon” is a film for those who want to really think about what it is they are watching, as the film turns the very act of watching it into voyeurism. Confusing, bizarre, disturbing, and beautiful, “The Neon Demon” is an art film, meant to provoke a reaction. Like high fashion, “The Neon Demon” is a new and avant garde approach to psychological horror.
