Horns (2013)
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Juno Temple, Max Minghella
Director: Alexandre Aja
Country: USA | Canada
Genre: Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Thriller
Editor’s Notes: Horns opens in limited theatrical release today, October 31st. Happy Halloween!
Who would have thought that the man who directed flat-out horror films like The Hills Have Eyes and High Tension would be able to pull off dark comedy so effortlessly? With Horns, Alexandre Aja shows impressive range by delving into the macabre and pulling from his story not only terrific horror elements but genuine laugh-out-loud moments as well. This is an incredibly enjoyable film equal parts fantasy, horror, mystery and comedy that may have some plot points and jarring shifts in tone that are hard to swallow but never once becomes dull or too over the top.
This is an incredibly enjoyable film equal parts fantasy, horror, mystery and comedy that may have some plot points and jarring shifts in tone that are hard to swallow but never once becomes dull or too over the top.
Daniel Radcliffe stars as Ignatius “Ig” Perrish, who wakes up one morning to find that all signs point to him being responsible for the rape and murder of Merrin Williams, his longtime girlfriend since childhood played by Juno Temple. Everybody is against him, including his own family members. Things only get worse when Ig wakes up to find that animalistic horns have started to grow from his head.
Nope, you read that right. Horns begin to sprout from Radcliffe’s head, a fact that the people of the town seem to take very normally. What isn’t normal and is rather unsettling is that suddenly people want to tell Ig their deepest, darkest, nastiest desires and urges. It’s a situation oozing with bizarre comedy, and Aja and screenwriter Keith Bunin (adapting a novel from Joe Hill) brilliantly find ways to make us laugh without ever overdoing it and beating a dead horse.
There’s a strong emotional undercurrent present here that really energizes the story. Much of this is thanks to a knock-out performance from Daniel Radcliffe and his chemistry with Juno Temple. The two are so believably adorable and amazing together that it will come as no shock when you find yourself misty-eyed and heartbroken at certain points throughout the film. If comedy and romance wasn’t enough for you, Horns also features a surprisingly involving mystery that keeps us invested in the film. Time spent not clutching your heart in emotional agony or scratching your noggin trying to figure out who Merrin’s real killer is will be spent on attempts to stifle your snickering and occasional gut-busting laughter.
There’s a strong emotional undercurrent present here that really energizes the story. Much of this is thanks to a knock-out performance from Daniel Radcliffe …
Horns is a film packed with so many things. While this makes the film incredibly enjoyable, it does occasionally hinder its effectiveness. One minute sees a doctor telling Ig he wants to snort Oxycontin, the next the reading of a letter from a dead loved one, the next a flashback to childhood. While this structure is part of what makes Horns so work so well, Aja’s lack of tonal consistency prevents the film from being constantly engaging. This is a weakness particularly present in the film’s third act, with the film jumping around so much and taking one particular odd stylistic detour its a miracle it still packs an emotional punch by the end.
Overall, it’s pretty miraculous that a film like Horns works at all. A film like this could have been a disaster, but everything comes together quite nicely in the end to create a wallop of a genre flick. It’s so damn entertaining and memorable, with Daniel Radcliffe delivering another performance showing he is well on his way to becoming the best actor of his generation. Horns examines humanity’s darker side, but it ultimately celebrates the good. Likewise, there is so much great stuff to be found in Horns it’s so very easy to forget the bad.
With Horns, Alexandre Aja shows impressive range by delving into the macabre and pulling from his story not only terrific horror elements but genuine laugh-out-loud moments as well.
