Mandy

Panos Cosmatos exorcises the genre demons of his childhood (his father is the director of Rambo II and Cobra) with a trash revenge story transformed into a mystical psychotropic epic. The film completely fulfils Alejandro Jodorowsky’s dictate "I ask of film what most North Americans ask of psychedelic drugs". Nicolas Cage is promoted to the role of a visual artifact in an airbrushed scene from the side of a van brought to life. Nevertheless, proclamations that Cage has reached the maximum level of madness in his acting are rather overwrought – in this respect, the second Ghost Rider still holds the lead. (07/04/2018)

Nicolas Cage is a bit like fire — great when controlled, but disastrous if left unchecked. Luckily, Panos Cosmatos knows how to harness Cage’s unique style, and it really shows in this film. It almost feels like the role was tailor-made for him. Mandy is a niche film, definitely not for the average viewer. Its pacing is unusual and quite drawn out, so you either vibe with its style or find yourself suffering through it. The film’s drug-fueled, transcendent atmosphere is worth mentioning — it's hard to tell what reality the story is set in, but that’s part of its charm. The standout feature, of course, is the one and only Nick Cage. While he's not in the spotlight much during the first half, the second half is all about him, and Cage turns into a total badass, delivering wild, intense scenes and brutal, sharp dialogue. Mandy is an artfully shot grindhouse film with cult potential, aimed at a very specific audience. (07/04/2018)

Weird. Very. While I liked the colorful hypnotic atmosphere supported by Jóhannsson's unsettling music, With its mysticism, overwrought monologues and dialogue, excessive running time, and the wait for a final showdown that was ultimately the most boring scene of the entire film, I was ultimately disappointed by Mandy. And I hadn't even expected anything from it in the first place. (07/30/2020)

Of course… who else should star in this movie if not Nicolas Cage. He is currently the only Hollywood actor who turned acting into a completely extravagant experience. If he is in pain, physically or mentally, you’ll simply feel it too. And since he keeps appearing in films which are outside the norm, you can count on Nicolas Cage being in complete mental and physical pain. When it came to the execution of the movie, I was quite upset. The first half was mostly for show. The director played with purple filters and half the time I couldn’t even see what was going on in a scene. But the important thing is that it is glamorous. The second half of the movie was hardcore, though. That’s actually when the dark side of Nicolas comes to life together in a surreal ride full of such shit you won’t believe your eyes. An unbelievable crazy trip. Again, one of those films that try to shock you creatively and it is pretty successful in doing that. (11/03/2018)

Mandy is a hallucinogenic grindhouse revenge bloodbath, at the beginning of which there is a love story engulfed by cosmic darkness. It is surprisingly compelling and conceptually cohesive, given the cheap filters and B-movie budget. It is also pleasantly refreshing in the context of the artsy festival mood. The highlight, of course, is Cage drinking in white shorts and an orange t-shirt with a tiger emblazoned on it. [Cannes] (05/14/2018)