6.5/10 A ballsy horror movie that had me surprisingly captivated until it comes apart at the end, “The Perfection” is far better than it has the right to be and was a lot of fun for the first 2/3 of the movie. While it definitely has shades of the superior “Black Swan” (a little too much so), the movie follows two rival cello players who can best be described as frenemies. I had somewhat low expectations going in as Netflix original horror films are always hit or miss but the first 45 blew me away. I admired the risks the movie took and how it didn’t shy away from grotesque violence and gore. The twists and turns in the first two acts genuinely surprised me as the movie had a B horror movie schlock feel to it like the early films of Peter Jackson or Sam Raimi. Unlike those older films, since this is modern, the movie looks really nice as the uppity and pretentious world of musicians is paired with the dark, gritty underbelly of what is really going on under the surface. Co-lead Logan Browning gives the standout performance in the movie and since I had never seen her acting before, I was doubly taken back by her talent. As for Allison Williams, while overall she did a good job and definitely played the victim role perfectly, there were moments and line deliveries where she was playing more of the aggressor that fell flat for me. The music is essential to a movie like this that takes place in the world of competitive music and they did nail that aspect. Coming in at a brisk hour and a half, director and co-writer Richard Shepard constantly keeps the movie moving and holding our attention. The biggest problem (besides the “Black Swan” elements) comes within the last act as the movie takes yet another twist and goes from a psychological horror movie to a feminist revenge fantasy. That transition felt awkward/forced and gets into completely over the top territory. The very last shot of the movie, while visually memorable for sure, makes absolutely zero sense if you stop and think about it for more than 10 seconds. If I want to see women teaming up to get revenge on a bad guy, I will watch “Death Proof” or something with a stronger final act. In the end, if you set your expectations at the appropriate level, you will find some fun with this movie. The first two thirds were gory fun with mostly solid acting in a movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Just prepare for the final act to go off the rails and come apart at the seams and you can enjoy the rest of the ride that got you there. This movie definitely is not perfection, but overall I am glad I watched it.
#MElodyToo / #CantHANDleThePressure / #CharacterMotifation / #TroubleInAMinor / #CelloBellied / #DearSingleWhiteFemale
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