The Substance - Review

Hello fellow moviewatchers. I'm here again sharing my thoughts on the recent films I've seen. And I'm still diving deep into the horror genre. I happen to stumble upon this modern day gem. The Substance is my third movie review for this series.

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PLOT
An aging actress (Demi Moore) is now at the end of her career. While struggling to accept her new reality, a car accident led to her receiving an opportunity to test out a mysterious 'substance.' Her body gave birth to a new being, a younger version of herself. There were clear strict rules to follow. One remains awake for a week while the other sleeps. Tragedy befalls both of them when this balance was upset in favor of the younger self.

REVIEW
I wasn't really into the genre of movies where Demi Moore mostly starred in. In fact, if I remember correctly, the first and only other movie that I've seen her in was Ghost, and that was way back in the 90s. So seeing her in The Substance was a surprise for me. But she definitely looks way younger than her age especially when she plays a 50-year-old actress when she's already in her early 60s.

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Her younger counterpart, Margaret Qualley, was also a knockout beauty. I'm also surprised that she just turned 30 when she can easily pass as a teen or in the early 20s. Anyway, The Substance does not have a complicated story. I'd categorize it as a fantasy-horror as you really couldn't rationalize the events in this film as something that is plausible to happen in real life.

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And I've noticed that in some recent movies like this, there's a style that focuses more on closeup shots. The Substance is also a treat for those who enjoy ASMR scenes as there were plenty, from mixing liquids to gooey slurping sound effects. I liked how both lead actresses, Demi and Margaret, portrayed the contrasting personalities of their characters. And while nudity can be argued as optional in most films, I believe the decision to include it here was a requirement as it explores the subject of aging. And despite having a straightforward plot, I enjoyed the scenes and did not find a dull moment in the entirety of the film.

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The Substance is a body horror through and through. From the slow deterioration of Demi's body to their final abominable form, the special effects were amazing. That final scene where ridiculously high amounts of blood was spewed reminded me of Carrie which I guess they were paying tribute to.

Overall, I personally liked The Substance. It's something different and stands out compared to the other films of this generation. And at the same time, it has a lot of callbacks to the great body horror movies of the 80s. I definitely recommend this movie to the fans of the horror genre.