“Only God Forgives” is not an easy film to watch, nor does it intend to be.
Nicolas Winding Refn, the film’s director, has created a slow, deliberate experience that aims to disorient, rather than entertain. However, if you are willing to accept everything the film offers, you can find entertainment and more under its rich and rough exterior.
The movie takes place in Thailand and follows Julian, who must walk a fine line between loyalty and honor once he learns of his brother’s murder. Initially Julian is reluctant to seek any redemption for his brother’s death after learning the circumstances surrounding it. He is a man who follows a moral code based on accepting the consequences of your actions; A moral code that is often tested throughout the film. The main source of Julian’s internal conflict comes from his mother who wishes to see justice for her son’s death no matter what.
This causes so much inner turmoil because of the loyalty Julian feels he should have for her.
For a movie that seems bent on delivering an experience a casual audience would reject, it is very easy to respect and admire Julian. His characterization is so fresh and unique because Refn has found a way to craft a character that pushes the audience’s limit for sympathy without passing it.
Refn’s writing shines in every respect, and those looking will find some of the most complex and intriguing symbolism out of any movie this year. The script effortlessly melds with the incredible visuals the movie has to offer. “Only God Forgives” is one of the few films with a color palette that would make Wes Anderson gawk. Even those who cannot get passed the grisly and over-the-top violence, slow pace or limited dialogue could appreciate just how beautifully this movie is filmed.
Segments are bathed in blood red or neon blue, perfectly juxtaposing, and at times supplementing, the gruesome, questionable behavior being perpetrated on screen. “Only God Forgives” may not be a very entertaining movie, but it is a stunning one in every regard.
