Released: 1st February 2019 (Netflix)
Length: 113 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Director: Dan Gilroy
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Toni Collete, Zawe Ashton, Tom Sturridge, Natalia Dyer and John Malkovich
Dan Gilroy is still new to the directing chair; after many years of writing screenplays for the big screen, 2014 marked the year he proved to have a strong vision. His latest release, this time released via Netflix, is a bizarre horror flick that warps the often-relaxing art sector into something twisted and frightening.
In a modern, trendy Miami art gallery a collection of characters has stumbled across a violent and visceral collection of paintings by one Vetril Dease, which portray elements of suffering and brutality. Knowing the creations will fetch a handsome profit both in and out of exhibition, the lucrative art dealers exploit them to the max. But they soon find grisly events unfolding before their eyes as the artist’s grim tale comes to life both figuratively and literally. Coming from a range of backgrounds, each character’s personal motives are clearly defined; Jake Gyllenhaal plays Morf Vandewalt a very-hard-to-please art critic who looks for deeper connections in other people. Rene Russo’s Rhodora Haze is a ruthless ice queen whose past life as an eighties rockstar fuels her push for profitable art. Finally, Zawe Ashton’s Josephina is looking to move up in the industry and being the one who discovered the paintings, puts her in reach of this goal. The most interesting aspects of the plot come into play when tying themselves to the characters unique mannerisms. Morf has apparently been regurgitating the same cynical, insensitive critiques for years to the point of automation and the hostile art reflects this mindset. With that said, these moments are telegraphed to the film’s detriment; it could have been more unpredictable in the way the surreal is presented throughout the narrative. You just know something’s going to happen when a character is isolated on their own.
Each member of Velvet Buzzsaw’s cast has a set of clearly defined characteristics; following on from his partnership with Dan Gilroy in 2014’s Nightcrawler, Gyllenhaal is easily the best actor in the production as unlike the other characters, there’s a greater sense of panic that shows on the surface. Russo and Ashton feel more static in their roles, mostly looking to maintain their professionalism with a hidden commitment to reaching their personal goals. The way they play off each other throughout the film is straightforward and authentic, balancing the line between artistic expression and the need to chase profits in their line of work. Beneath these mannerisms though, a sense of greed persists in each of them, something that eventually leads to their demise. Not every character is this well-portrayed, however. Natalia Dyer is very underused, mostly relegated to reacting to the various horrors that befall the characters; so too is John Malkovich who mostly plays a background role throughout the proceedings, occasionally commenting on the state of art to other characters.
In keeping with the artistic trappings of the narrative, Gilroy’s latest production is creative in its presentation. There are many static shots that hold on one location or image, almost looking like a painting in themselves, whether it’s hovering over the city or closely examining one of Dease’s works. The supernatural forces on show give way to many creative and nasty-looking fatalities; in fact, the film almost borders on slasher film territory with the ways in which the main characters are killed off one at a time. Each of these effects makes use of strong CGI work to capture a sinister presence within the paintings. It’s ironic because Velvet Buzzsaw takes place in some very high luxury; each set is incredibly well-designed and presented, perfectly capturing the high-class lifestyles the characters live. The same is true of the costume design and while the music matches the predictable scares served up in the narrative, it still creates an unnerving tone when it needs to.
Velvet Buzzsaw is an odd breed of horror film; one that leverages an unusual setting to generate some very picturesque shots and scares. The characters are all very well-portrayed and the central themes of extravagant greed are put front and centre. It could have showed a more vivid psychological breakdown of the characters while injecting more twists and turns into the plot, but as it stands, it’s still an entertaining watch.
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars (Good)
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