I finally got the chance to go out and watch the body horror movie The substanceand even though I had heard it was crazy, nothing could have prepared me for the absolute, horrible insanity that this film delivers.
Seriously, this movie exploded in my brain and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to get it out. There are some images from this movie that are stuck in my brain and I just want to erase them.
This movie did something that most horror movies can’t do: it destroyed me. Horror rarely affects me so deeply, but The substance he gave me a number. It’s a disturbing blend of body horror and psychological torment that really gets under your skin.
This feels like it could be a modern episode of The twilight zonewith all the disturbing moral nuances of a classic Rod Serling tale, but dialed up to eleven with graphic, nightmarish images designed to mess with your head.
The story takes you on an absolutely wild ride, but it’s the ending that is truly shocking. It escalates into full-blown bloody mayhem, and while I won’t spoil it, let’s just say it’s one of the most bizarre conclusions I’ve seen in recent horror films.
The buildup is like watching a car crash in slow motion: You know things will go terribly wrong, but when they do, it’s much worse than you expected.
Music and sound design in The substance elevate the experience to a whole new level. It’s visceral. It’s disturbing. It crawls into your mind and doesn’t let go.
The soundtrack integrates perfectly with the grotesque images, increasing the tension and terror. I honestly couldn’t sleep after watching it because my brain kept replaying those disturbing sounds and images!
The cast is phenomenal and Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley both give incredible performances. Moore plays Elisabeth Sparkle, a character known for her aerobics show, who is hit with the devastating blow of being fired on her fiftieth birthday.
In her desperation for a woman losing her good looks as she ages, she turns to a laboratory that offers her a substance that promises to transform her into the best, younger version of herself. The twist is that she has to split her life between her current self and a younger, improved version of herself, Sue, played by Qualley.
This premise alone is disturbing, but things spiral completely out of control. There is great abuse of the drug, and the line between self and “other self” begins to blur and things take a turn in the most terrifying ways.
The film asks, “What could go wrong?” and then proceeds to answer that question with heartbreaking, nightmarish consequences. The slogan: “You are one. You can’t run away from yourself,” becomes a chilling reality as Elisabeth grapples with the psychological and physical ramifications of her choices.
Denis Quaid’s role adds to the madcap atmosphere of the film, but it is actually Moore and Qualley who carry the emotional and physical weight of the horror. You can feel the tension and desperation in their performances as Elisabeth’s life turns into something monstrous.
The substance it is also deeply sad and tragic. It’s a story that taps into very human fears about aging, self-esteem, and how long people are willing to go to maintain an idealized version of themselves.
Elisabeth embodies this profound sense of loss…loss of youth, beauty, relevance, and ultimately, control. The spiral of desperation she falls into after being fired on her fiftieth birthday is heartbreaking. She is a woman who has built her life around her image, and when it is taken away from her, she clings to the one thing she believes will fix her: Substance.
The tragedy comes in the way her pursuit of perfection destroys her, both physically and emotionally. Elisabeth’s choice to divide her life between her current self and her younger, “perfect” self should give her a fresh start, but instead leads to the fragmentation of her identity.
The story explores the emotional toll this takes on her: she is not only physically torn apart, but also mentally broken. Watching her lose her sense of self and descend into madness is not only terrifying, but deeply tragic. She becomes a victim of her own vanity and social pressures to stay young and beautiful at any cost.
On the other hand, Qualley’s Sue, the younger version of Elisabeth, represents what Elisabeth wants to be but can never fully possess. There’s a subtle melancholy in the way Sue seems like an impostor, an empty shell, a reflection of Elisabeth’s unattainable desire for perfection.
Coralie Fargeatwho wrote and directed this film, made an unforgettable piece of body horror that I don’t think I’ll ever fully recover from.
It’s a disturbing and thought-provoking experience that taps into our fears of aging, vanity, and the dangerous pursuit of perfection.
It is a commentary on the dangers of self-obsession and society’s obsession with youth, beauty and perfection. The horror here lies not just in the grotesque imagery, but in the emotional devastation at the heart of the story.
The substance is one of those rare horror films that doesn’t just aim to scare you in the moment, but lingers, haunting you long after you leave the theater.
by Joey Paur
Source: Geek Tyrant
Lloyd Grunewald is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. He is a talented writer who focuses on bringing the latest entertainment-related news to his readers. With a deep understanding of the entertainment industry and a passion for writing, Lloyd delivers engaging articles that keep his readers informed and entertained.