Mandy: A Retro-Apocalyptic Thriller

Mandy is set in the deep dark forests of 1983, where Red Miller, portrayed by the talented Nicolas Cage, resides. Red is a tormented and shattered man, haunted by his painful past. His world is shattered when his beloved partner is brutally taken away from him by a nefarious group of individuals. Consumed by grief and fuelled by vengeance, Red embarks on a mission to avenge her untimely demise.

Directed by the renowned Panos Cosmatos, Mandy has garnered critical acclaim for its unique blend of artistry and cosmic elements. This film caters to the tastes of Arthouse enthusiasts, captivating their senses with its stunning visuals and a mesmerizing, synthesizer-driven score.

However, it is worth noting that Mandy’s style-over-substance approach may not appeal to everyone. Those seeking a deeper narrative or a more conventional cinematic experience may find themselves perplexed, struggling to connect with its visually intense and mind-bending storytelling. In summary, Mandy offers a retro-apocalyptic thriller that pushes the boundaries of traditional filmmaking. It holds immense appeal for fans of unconventional cinema, offering an unforgettable and visually striking experience.

Mandy Movie Ending Explained

Bravo Promotion and Distribution Teams

Movies have long been promoted with a masterful touch of magic. Fans of specific genres get baited into thinking a film will contain certain things. Through trailers, posters, and merchandising promotion and distribution teams run with an angle that isn’t entirely accurate sometimes. At the beginning of the year, I stopped watching trailers. Mostly because trailers give the whole movie away. And also because they can lead you up the garden path.

Not because they entice people to see the film a certain way, but often the promotional segment used to advertise a film contains key plot points. 2018, there seemed to be a spate of movies that were ‘the scariest,’ and ‘banned from YouTube‘ or made people run screaming from cinemas, and Veronica and The Nun come to mind with those sorts of tactics and while I didn’t fall for the gimmick, many did and were left extremely disappointed.

I Just Love Nicolas Cage, And You Will See Him Rage Here

Above all, Event Cinemas Chermside, organizers had gone the extra mile. They had set up scare actors within the darkened corridor to the seating area. Horror-themed music and red lighting filled the room and a masked Leatherface man wielding a chainsaw ran at me as I walked in. Pinned flush to the wall was a zombie in chains screaming “Run!!” as punters rushed by. What a treat! The audience was buzzing and I was ready for some action. But, before you do anything, buy this Nicolas Cage T-Shirt from Amazon.

What Happened Then? Was There a Black Rainbow?

Then the Mandy movie began.

This flashed up on the screen and some guys with long hair in front of me nodded their heads in agreeance.

“When I die,

Bury me deep.

Lay two speakers at my feet.

Wrap some headphones,

Around my head,

And rock and roll me When I’m dead.”

Song lyrics from Mandy 2018

The synth started up and everything went very quiet. Red and Mandy, the perfectly matched pair left to drown in dark color palettes and quiet drawing dialogue. Their sentences involve ramblings about which planet they would be on and how Mandy’s father made her and her siblings kill some baby birds one time.

Mandy’s an Artist who reads lots and lots of fantasy novels and has a scar running down one side of her face. The novels she reads are utilized in voice-overs during dream sequences featuring dead baby deer and spiraling manga-esque cartoons. Lumps of time tick by normalizing these two rather odd characters but I guess it’s successful if that’s the intention.

Beyond the Black Rainbow With “Mandy”

In the background of the “Mandy” narrative, the cult is building its story as well. The ensemble is the generic type of rock-star-led, brain-washed type with connections in the demon world. It’s here I need to point out that the performances of every single cast member are on point. As far as directional nuance goes Panos creates the perfect symbolism for every single character within the piece. Jeremiah is the epitome of cult leaders everywhere.

Nic Cage and Cage Rage

The scene where Mandy is set on fire feels straight out of Friday the 13th (2009), and Cage begins to unleash the rage we’ve all heard about. Prior to this, not much happened. I spoke with people in horror groups who had seen the movie on streaming services at home. Red’s distraught and grief-fueled breakdown in the bathroom brought some to tears. As I sat in the cinema, and this scene reached its crescendo, I was quite impressed with Cage’s performance. He excels at portraying eccentric characters.

Moreover, the audience showed a different side. I heard a chuckle escape as Red let out a mighty scream in his tiger shirt and tighty-whities. It became contagious, infecting almost half of the people in front of the screen. I suppose everyone had built up such anticipation for the onslaught they were about to witness that they seized the first opportunity to exhale, simply because something actually happened. By the time Cage’s final scenes rolled around and he completely lost his mind under the influence of acid, moviegoers burst into laughter. When the credits rolled, a few people timidly clapped, and someone exclaimed, “Yay, it’s over,” which prompted giggles. Another person commented, “And that’s the point.”

What’s more, I mingled in amongst some people as they left, and some were completely silent. Others were using their hands in a gesture interpreted as ‘mind = blown.’ I overheard some smokers outside say “it’s a slow burn, that’s for sure.”

People commenting outside the movie theatre about the Mandy movie

What About Mandy, Does Nicolas Cage Avenge Her, or Does He Find a Black Rainbow?

Additionally, I get it. It’s a visual expression of love, grief, and loss told through the lens of hippy-filler and pretty colors. Even though Mandy is a five-minute tale fleshed out over a two-hour period, the story’s kind of cool. A story about star-crossed lovers who found each other and were ripped apart by evil forces for no reason whatsoever simply because of one man’s selfish desire to have something he wanted. Red’s ability to immerse into the hell he finds himself in, satiates his quest for revenge and he only pays with his insanity.

Finally, I am not an Arthouse fan nor a Black Rainbow fan. Thanks for the chainsaw and crossbow sequences though. As a matter of fact, thanks also, for the million horror movie references and symbolism too.

I give Mandy 

3.5 Is this review as long as Nic Cages’ movie? out of 5