“It’s been a long time since I saw something so fucked up.”
Our own review of Luca Guadagnino’s Suspiria is coming soon, but in the meantime, the remake of Dario Argento’s 1977 classic screened for the first time at the Venice Film Festival over the weekend, and no embargo was placed on reviews. In other words, a handful of sites have already reviewed this year’s hotly anticipated film, well ahead of its November release.
What are the critics saying? Well, the reaction is pretty divided, but we’re seeing a bit more good than bad on this one. Currently, Suspiria is sitting at 64% on Rotten Tomatoes, with 9 “fresh” reviews and 5 “rotten” reviews submitted out of Venice.
Reportedly, a handful of critics even walked out of the screening!
Here’s what some critics had to say in their reviews…
“Suspiria is a film of rare and unfettered madness, and it leaves behind a scalding message that’s written in pain and blood: The future will be a nightmare if we can’t take responsibility for the past.”
“Suspiria is a gorgeous, hideous, uncompromising film, and while it seeks to do many things, settling our minds about the brutality of the past and human nature is not one of them.”
Robbie Collin – Daily Telegraph
“Suspiria draws a complex, provocative line through faith, politics, dance and, yes, witchcraft: in all cases, a group of resolute like minds can birth something more powerful and dangerous than themselves. This slow-burn horror is better than the original.”
Raphael Abraham – Financial Times
“In terms of plot and performances this is a major improvement on the much-loved but ludicrous original.”
“Guadagnino directs the hell out of his Suspiria, heightening the sound design and using cuts that feel more like stabs. He wallows in the impressionistic weather – it only stops raining to start snowing – and gives a wonderful sense of place.”
David Rooney – Hollywood Reporter
“Guadagnino has made an ambitious homage, but it doesn’t really benefit from its more intellectualized gaze, instead draining the stomach-churning thrills of great horror.”
“By the time it drags itself to the finish line, you may think, ‘Okay, now we know what ‘Suspiria’ looks like as an art film. Can we please go back to when it was just a garishly flamboyant piece of bat-house trash?‘”
Stephanie Zacharek – TIME Magazine
“This new Suspiria is bland, grisly, boring and silly. There is nothing poetic or erotic about it.”
“A breathtaking achievement in hollow, know-somethingish sensationalism that fully deserves to be called ‘pretentious.’ And quite a few other things.”
“The frights aren’t frightening, the political subtext never connects with the rest of the movie, and even Guadagnino’s generally unfailing visual sense isn’t enough to put this over.”
And some tweets out of Venice, via Reddit…
What better way to start your saturday morning than with a primal, disturbing, body-dysmorphic, mind-fuck Film from Luca Guadignio? 😳#Suspiria will easily be the most divisive film at #Venezia75 – it’s 2018’s mother!
And you won’t look at interpretive dance the same way again🤯— Luke Hearfield (@LukeHearfield) September 1, 2018
It’s been a long time since I saw something so fucked up #Suspiria #Venezia75
— alessio (@alessiomarinacc) September 1, 2018
Why, hello there hyper political, feminist, slightly gory #Suspiria. I did not see you coming. #DeathToAllOtherMothers #Venezia75
— Beatrice Behn (@DansLeCinema) September 1, 2018
suspiria was definitely one of the most intense experiences of my life. didnt walk out of the theater like many but i can surely taste the blood in my mouth. not gonna sleep tonight lol !!! pic.twitter.com/BxPyGLokYw
— zin @ venice (@bIuevioIet) September 1, 2018
Give your soul to the dance on November 2.
