By Ashley Bartko
That’s right the title screams it! Horns (2014) is now available to view and enjoy on Netflix. This film was directed by Alexandre Aja who is known for his work on films such as The Hills Have Eyes (2006), Mirrors (2008) and High Tension (2003). Frederick Elmes whose cinematography work on the films Brothers (2009) and Hulk (2003), collaborates his cinematography with Alexandre Aja’s vision for this mysterious and dark tale. The horror-fantasy-comedy genre is represented artfully and skillfully throughout the entirety of the film with the use of masterful cinematography and awe inspiring art direction. The film is loosely based on the novel “Horns” written by Joe Hill whose other works include Lock and Key and Heart-Shaped Box.
The beginning scene opens as character Merrin Williams played by actress Juno Temple kisses Ig Perrish played by actor Daniel Radcliffe. Replying to his endearment of “I’m going to love for the rest of my life” with “just love me for the rest of mine.” The beginning of the film is an abundance of Iggy moping around about the death of his girl and playing the “woe is me” card even after the horns appear on his forehead and continue to grow while making his own unique character arc going through self realization and battling his own demons. The conflict of this film arises when Ig attempts to dehorn himself and fails miserably, this is when he begins to embrace the horns as a blessing and uses their powers to track down his girlfriend’s killer. I’m not going to give too many details to the end of the movie however there are scenes of revival and rebirth, the truth about poor Merrin’s grisly death are revealed and justice is served in a most satisfying manner. The story structure of this film keeps you guessing until the end, you will laugh, cry and scream.
The art direction that has been heavily arranged throughout this film is the use of color, there is something red in almost every scene of this movie. Red is the color of extremes and symbolises love, danger, anger, adventure, seduction, hate, and violence. The color red has been used to indicate anything suspicious and without revealing too much of a spoiler; before the waitress is maimed she is seen reapplying her bright red lipstick in her vehicle right outside of the glowing red diner. In that same diner where Merrin on the night of her murder, denies Ig’s drunken wedding proposal. Merrin’s hair is not the only subtle red shown throughout, the color of Ig’s car and shirt are also red in the film.
In addition to brilliant writing this film has an experienced triangle of art direction with a stellar team consisting of Art Director Jeremy Stanbridge; who is popular for his work on films such as The Butterfly Effect (2004) and Shooter (2007), Production Designer Allan Cameron whose work on The Mummy (1999) and The Da Vinci Code (2006) awed audiences and Set Decorator Shane Vieau who worked on Juno (2007), 50/50 (2011) and Dawn of The Planet Of The Apes (2014).
This film is certainly something to check out on Netflix. Happy scarings!