Monday, January 29, 2024
Poor Things
This is twisted re-envisioning of the Frankenstein horror story. In Victorian London, a disfigured mad scientist Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe) experiments by resurrecting the body of a beautiful young woman (Emma Stone) & implants within it an infant brain. He names her Bella. His new experimental creature has much to learn including speech & coordination. She behaves like a bratty spoiled child unaware of the norms of the real world. She is just one of many animal experimentations performed by Godwin. As Bella develops, she becomes curious about many things including the outside world & Godwin allows her to leave with Duncan (Mark Ruffalo) to experience the real world. It is a bizarre self-discovery & sexual liberation journey which eventually brings Bella home & she must face her past. The film is visually stunning in its settings & costumes. Stone is mesmerizing as the purely innocent individual experiencing life for the first time & being quite honest with her reactions to everything. This film is rated “R” for language, nudity, & sexual content. Depending on your conservativeness, the film may push you beyond your comfort level with its excessive sex scenes & nudity. It’s unrestrained innocence allowed to experience & explore all of her pleasures whether it’s gluttony or lust. This film may have limited mass appeal due to its quirky, dark, & bizarre nature. But if you’re looking for something extremely different with shocking moments, you may want to check it out. It’s very well made but can be a bit extreme to watch.
Alien gives it 2½ “furious jumping” stars out of 4.
