Garrett Wilkins reviewed7d ago Maggie Gyllenhaal's latest project is a frustrating exercise in creative self-indulgence that consistently values chaotic style over a coherent plot. Reimagining a classic monster myth as a 1930s body-horror road movie sounds intriguing on paper, but the actual execution is completely scatterbrained. We see the film wildly shift between different genres without ever mastering a single one. This lack of focus is particularly obvious in how it handles its themes, where the film heavily oversells its messages of empowerment. Rather than letting these ideas develop naturally through a compelling story, the script pushes them with a heavy-handed, aggressive insistence that feels forced and preachy, ultimately flattening the entire message. The biggest disappointment is that an exceptionally strong cast can't save this film from its own identity crisis. While the performers do everything they can to inject life into the material, they are severely undermined by a script that gives them nothing but thin archetypes and clunky dialogue to work with. The stunning cinematography and intricate production design provide plenty of visual flair, but it quickly becomes apparent that the movie is just an empty shell. It aims for a bold, revolutionary cinematic statement but ultimately delivers nothing more than cheap provocation, leaving you with a half-formed puzzle that never comes together.
