Strange Darling (2024)
A Twisty Thriller that never runs out of surprises
Early in Strange Darling, there’s a scene that every horror fan has seen a million times. A terrified, disheveled woman is running through a field with a rifle-toting madman in hot pursuit. Clearly, this woman is in serious danger. Will she be a serial killer’s next victim?
Over the course of the movie, our perception of this scene will be upended as the film reveals what is actually occurring. Writer and director J.T. Mollner has crafted a creative and inventive film.
Strange Darling is split into six chapters and the story is told out of order. We begin in the middle before moving back into the early chapters and then lurching forward to the conclusion. The narrative structure and raw pulpy stylishness reminded of me of Pulp Fiction (1994) and No Country for Old Men (2007). There aren’t a ton of horror films that use nonlinear narratives, so this is cool to see.
Two Strong Lead Performances
Willa Fitzgerald gives an unforgettable performance as The Lady, a beautiful and mysterious young woman who decides to engage in a one night stand at a motel with an equally mysterious man, The Devil (Kyle Gallner). Fitzgerald and Gallagher are both effective at showing different shades of their characters. Both can be convincingly sympathetic, while also being genuinely creepy and menacing.
The most clever thing about this movie is that it shows us multiple scenes without context, often fooling us into jumping to false conclusions about what’s happening. After a surprising series of events that I won’t spoil, an epic cat and mouse battle ensues between the two main characters. Their rivalry leads to great bloodshed and carnage throughout rural Oregon, as unlucky innocent bystanders meet their doom at the hands of a cunning killer.
Strange Darling is the type of movie that really shouldn’t be spoiled beforehand. I watched it knowing almost nothing about it, and I’m glad that I did. Of course, that makes it challenging to write about. I’ve kept this review vague to prevent spoiling the movie’s many secrets.
2024 has been a year of beautifully photographed horror movies (Longlegs, for example). Strange Darling‘s cinematography continues that trend. It’s particularly impressive because this a relatively low budget film.
Any flaws? Well, this movie doesn’t really have any character development. The characters are all pretty shallow. Also, I thought that the ending was a tad anticlimactic. Still, these are minor nitpicks for a movie like this.
Rating
Strange Darling is an innovative, fast-paced rollercoaster that crackles with energy. It subverts expectations at every turn, making it one of the most memorable thrillers of the past year.
Rating from 1 (avoid at all costs) to 10 (masterpiece): 8
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