The Neon Demon (2016)
Written and directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
Jesse quickly makes waves in the industry, much to the dismay of fellow models, who are also competing for the spotlight.
Ultimately, her nemeses kill and eat her in hopes of obtaining her effortless, natural beauty and skyrocketing their own careers.
Her warm demeanor in the beginning fades away into narcissism as she gains prominence, giving viewers hope that she might just be able to escape the evil forces closing in on her.
The fact that Jesse meets this tragic end, however, highlights The Neon Demon’s critique of society’s value of physical beauty above all else. This destructive attitude can take innocent girls like Jesse and eat them alive (in Jesse’s case, quite literally).
The Neon Demon was a disturbing, yet an intriguing and provocative feature.
