"Poor Things" is the kind of film that falls into a particular category, one that has been hailed as "important" and "meaningful" by critics and the general public alike. However, it's nothing more than a classic case of "style over substance."
Genre-wise, it's a bit of a head-scratcher. While it attempts to pass itself off as a satire on Victorian melodrama, it comes across as a crass farce that consistently misses the mark on humor.
"Poor Things" transports us into a fantastical realm, as if 19th-century futurists took a whimsical leap into the future, envisioning a world molded by their own era's perceptions. In this surreal landscape, their wild imaginations craft a whimsical tapestry, blending the speculative visions of Jules Verne with the fantastical allure of "Alice in Wonderland."
Unfortunately, beneath the visual spectacle lies an abundance of unconscious negative vibes, courtesy of director Yotgos Lanthimos, based on Alasdair Gray's 1992 novel of the same name.
From the outset, the premise raises eyebrows, echoing shades of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Mad scientist Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe) revives a pregnant woman, Bella Baxter (Emma Stone), through a bizarre surgical dance involving an unborn fetus brain. The resulting character channels Helen Keller during the expository first act, much to the annoyance of Godwin.
In a fantastical turn, Bella's intellectual growth spurt is nothing short of miraculous, and she soon explores her sexuality. Godwin, in an unusual twist, suggests his medical student, Max McCandles (Ramy Youssef), marry Bella. Contrary to expectations, Max embraces the idea with enthusiasm.
Ironically, the film portrays Godwin and Max sympathetically, despite their involvement in unethical and immoral scientific experiments. In this peculiar turn, Godwin and Max embark on yet another experiment, reviving the deceased Felicity through brain reassignment surgery. Bella's decision to break free from this odd company is fueled by the debauched attorney Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo), hired by Godwin to handle legal matters.
The central theme revolves around female empowerment, yet Bella displays no reservations about enduring abuse and debasement from Duncan. In a disturbing incident, he locks her in a trunk and takes her on an ocean cruise without her consent, driven by his carnal desires. Bella, perhaps due to her naivety, navigates her sexuality without guilt. Interestingly, it's Max, the unhealthy control freak, who cannot tolerate a lack of control in every waking moment of the day.
Amidst an ocean cruise, Bella encounters philosophy courtesy passengers Martha and Harry, the latter ineptly played by comedian Jerrod Carmichael.
Note that it's not Bella who ultimately brings about Duncan's downfall directly-rather, it's his own vices of gambling and drinking that lead to his eventual commitment to an asylum. However, when the innocent Bella gives away all of Duncan's money in a misguided attempt to help the poor during a stopover in Alexandria, the unhappy couple finds themselves penniless in Paris, where Bella expels the now increasingly deranged Duncan.
Bella's decision to become a prostitute is a narrative turn that reaches new heights of misandry. The parade of male deplorables servicing Bella includes a father acting as a tutor as he demonstrates sexual positions in front of his underage children - a cringe-worthy low.
If you believe the male-bashing can't intensify, brace yourself, for it certainly does. Upon returning to London and reconciling with Godwin, Bella is on the verge of marrying Max when her husband from a past life, General Alfie Bessington (Christopher Abbott), reappears through Duncan's manipulations. True to her commitment to embracing new experiences, Bella elopes with the sadistic Alfie, who imprisons her in his castle and decides on murder after she refuses genital mutilation. In a predictable twist, Bella turns the tables on the hapless Alfie, leading to him shooting himself in the foot and promptly passing out.
Bella's passive-aggressive character comes to the fore as she attempts to start a "normal" life with the ineffectual Max. The film's climax unfolds with Bella finding satisfaction in transforming Alfie sporting a transplanted-goat brain, now residing at Godwin's residence.
Despite Emma Stone's recent Academy Award win, her performance in "Poor Things" is more Wonder Woman-esque for her acrobatics than her delivery of dialogue. The film's dialogue by the way, is saturated with crass expletives, which further undermines the already scarce comedy.
"Poor Things" may achieve a triumph in production design, but its passive-aggressive tone ensures that it only secures a Pyrrhic victory against imaginary male straw men.
"Poor Things" transports us into a fantastical realm, as if 19th-century futurists took a whimsical leap into the future, envisioning a world molded by their own era's perceptions. In this surreal landscape, their wild imaginations craft a whimsical tapestry, blending the speculative visions of Jules Verne with the fantastical allure of "Alice in Wonderland."
Unfortunately, beneath the visual spectacle lies an abundance of unconscious negative vibes, courtesy of director Yotgos Lanthimos, based on Alasdair Gray's 1992 novel of the same name.
From the outset, the premise raises eyebrows, echoing shades of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Mad scientist Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe) revives a pregnant woman, Bella Baxter (Emma Stone), through a bizarre surgical dance involving an unborn fetus brain. The resulting character channels Helen Keller during the expository first act, much to the annoyance of Godwin.
In a fantastical turn, Bella's intellectual growth spurt is nothing short of miraculous, and she soon explores her sexuality. Godwin, in an unusual twist, suggests his medical student, Max McCandles (Ramy Youssef), marry Bella. Contrary to expectations, Max embraces the idea with enthusiasm.
Ironically, the film portrays Godwin and Max sympathetically, despite their involvement in unethical and immoral scientific experiments. In this peculiar turn, Godwin and Max embark on yet another experiment, reviving the deceased Felicity through brain reassignment surgery. Bella's decision to break free from this odd company is fueled by the debauched attorney Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo), hired by Godwin to handle legal matters.
The central theme revolves around female empowerment, yet Bella displays no reservations about enduring abuse and debasement from Duncan. In a disturbing incident, he locks her in a trunk and takes her on an ocean cruise without her consent, driven by his carnal desires. Bella, perhaps due to her naivety, navigates her sexuality without guilt. Interestingly, it's Max, the unhealthy control freak, who cannot tolerate a lack of control in every waking moment of the day.
Amidst an ocean cruise, Bella encounters philosophy courtesy passengers Martha and Harry, the latter ineptly played by comedian Jerrod Carmichael.
Note that it's not Bella who ultimately brings about Duncan's downfall directly-rather, it's his own vices of gambling and drinking that lead to his eventual commitment to an asylum. However, when the innocent Bella gives away all of Duncan's money in a misguided attempt to help the poor during a stopover in Alexandria, the unhappy couple finds themselves penniless in Paris, where Bella expels the now increasingly deranged Duncan.
Bella's decision to become a prostitute is a narrative turn that reaches new heights of misandry. The parade of male deplorables servicing Bella includes a father acting as a tutor as he demonstrates sexual positions in front of his underage children - a cringe-worthy low.
If you believe the male-bashing can't intensify, brace yourself, for it certainly does. Upon returning to London and reconciling with Godwin, Bella is on the verge of marrying Max when her husband from a past life, General Alfie Bessington (Christopher Abbott), reappears through Duncan's manipulations. True to her commitment to embracing new experiences, Bella elopes with the sadistic Alfie, who imprisons her in his castle and decides on murder after she refuses genital mutilation. In a predictable twist, Bella turns the tables on the hapless Alfie, leading to him shooting himself in the foot and promptly passing out.
Bella's passive-aggressive character comes to the fore as she attempts to start a "normal" life with the ineffectual Max. The film's climax unfolds with Bella finding satisfaction in transforming Alfie sporting a transplanted-goat brain, now residing at Godwin's residence.
Despite Emma Stone's recent Academy Award win, her performance in "Poor Things" is more Wonder Woman-esque for her acrobatics than her delivery of dialogue. The film's dialogue by the way, is saturated with crass expletives, which further undermines the already scarce comedy.
"Poor Things" may achieve a triumph in production design, but its passive-aggressive tone ensures that it only secures a Pyrrhic victory against imaginary male straw men.