The Neon Demon

2016 Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn

Beauty is vicious.

When aspiring model Jesse moves to Los Angeles, her youth and vitality are devoured by a group of beauty-obsessed women who will take any means necessary to get what she has.

Elle Fanning Karl Glusman Jena Malone Bella Heathcote Abbey Lee Desmond Harrington Christina Hendricks Keanu Reeves Charles Baker Jamie Clayton Stacey Danger Rebecca Dayan Helen Wilson Houda Shretah Taylor Marie Hill Vanessa Martinez Jason Schneidman Rachel Dik Jodie Turner-Smith Lily Moffett Charlize Cotton Allie Lewis Cody Renee Cameron Georgia Fowler Dani Seitz Steve Murillo Alysse Reynolds Autumn Alderson Lucy Cronkite Show All…

Alternative Titles

שד הניאון, 네온 데몬, El demonio neón, Неоновый демон

mystery horror thriller

118 mins More details at IMDb TMDb Report this film

Popular reviews

Review by Eli Hayes ★★★★½ 59

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

K, time for an actual capsule review:
The Neon Demon is an effective, albeit deeply disturbing commentary on physical artificiality and the social construction of beauty as the chief significance in not only the entertainment and fashion industries, but in life, relationships, everything. Needless to say, it's not for the faint of heart; prepare for the utilization of cannibalism and necrophilia as metaphor. Yeah.
Review by Evan ★★★★★ 38

The Neon Demon is a lot of things. Transcendent, hypnotic, and stylish are a few words that come to mind. This film had me hooked from the beginning credit sequence and it never let me go. I'm still kind of in a daze to be honest. Every frame of The Neon Demon is executed to absolute perfection. I cannot give the visuals enough praise. Honestly this is one of the best looking films I have ever seen. It's a five-course meal for the eyes. Also, the soundtrack/score is incredible. I RARELY buy a film's soundtrack and when I say rarely I mean never but I have already purchased the soundtrack from Amazon. Elle Fanning and Jenna Malone were both fantastic.…
Review by Karsten Runquist ★★★½ 17

Nicolas Winding Refn’s films are always really good until the characters start saying things.
Review by Eli Hayes ★★★★½ 46

booooooooooooo
what a terrible film
booooooooooooo
all style, no substance
booooooooooooo
it's not social commentary;
it's misogyny
booooooooooooo
brb gonna go scream
at the screen some more
booooooooooooo
god won't forgive this one, Refn
booooooooooooo
(far cry from your previous films, Elle... shit escalated quickly for ya. also, Cliff composed what is probably one of the best scores since the likes of Goblin)
booooooooooooo
Review by Rembrandt Q Pumpernickel ★ 21

Can anyone confirm that Refn has actually met a person?
Review by nathaxnne wilhelmina ★★★★½ 33

P U R E T E R R O R

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is Nicolas Winding Refn's favorite movie. This is not immaterial to what follows. To discover that you are within a universe of fear, of unstoppable dread, of the total loss of agency. A universe made from rules inimical to your well-being, a universe that will consume you whole with extreme malevolence, indifferent or pleasured by your confusion, your suffering. In some movies there is a sense of fair play, of an unwritten contract with the audience, that if a level of engagement or trust is placed in the hands of the film, the film will reward or pay off that assumed trust by delivering a satisfying…

Recent reviews

Review by Isabella ★½

?????????
Review by Casey Mattos ★★½

Way more boring on rewatch than I remember. But goddamn if this movie isn't drop dead gorgeous.
Review by heartnoveau ★★★½

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

alright, so i get why this movie was not a big hit either financially or critically. it's a vapid, superficial, slow moving art film with questionable gender politics which often teeters on the edge of being outright exploitative.
that said, i fucking love it.
i watched this yesterday as a double feature with the remake of suspiria (which i shamefully fell asleep during and need to rewatch before posting a review of) and honestly it really worked for me since this is essentially an extended homage the aesthetics of the original suspiria and transposing it to the world of LA fashion. the title is painfully on the nose, as the vast majority of this film is drenched in luscious and…
Review by Breezer ★★½

2/3 - Style over substance
Last 1/3 - pretty fucked up shit about how this industry destroys people, how cold it is and how some people would do anything to stay successful. Also, radically shows the focus on beauty and the complete ignorance of other values of this industry and some people.
So, beautifully shot with some mad scenes you’ll never forget, but most of it (at least in my opinion) is just style over substance.
Review by Preston ★★★★★

My girlfriend pointed out that like 40% of this movie’s runtime can be shaved, and the story, character arcs... everything would be the same. Oh well, it looks awesome
Review by Bendik Hallstensen ★★★½

What the plot lacks it makes up in visual storytelling. I have no trouble understanding why this movie was nominated for- and won so many awards for its cinematography. As far as the cinematography goes, this might be one of the most beautiful movies I have seen. It is without a doubt worth watching if you have a passion for good cinematography. It is undeniably up there with movies such as Black Swan and La La Land.
Review by Carla Panzram ★★★★★

I’m speechless. One of the most thought provoking and artistic films I’ve ever seen. This is one of those films that’s not for everyone, and that’s okay.
A lot of reviews say that it’s all style and no substance, and I agree to an extent, but I think that’s the point of it. There are some great lines in here, but the dialogue and plot isn’t the point of it. It casts a light on shameless vanity and putting beauty above all else, so the characters aren’t going to be that sharp. Nothing else matters to them besides being the most beautiful person in the room.
Every shot is a painting. The attention to detail is astounding. Just every piece of furniture, the way the actors are placed, the clothes, the makeup, the perfectly balanced color palette - it’s beyond gorgeous.
Review by luvy0sh1 ★★½

fuck this movie but like... its kinda pretty doe
Review by Edgar Bento ★★★★

these kinds of movies are SO entrancing to me!!! a neo-spiritual experience I am STUNNED.