The cutthroat modelling world gets the neon soaked treatment from director Nicolas Winding Refn in the appropriately named The Neon Demon. When sixteen-year-old Jesse (Elle Fanning) shows up in L.A. and breaks into the modelling world. Enchanted by her youth and beauty, Jesse quickly signs on with an agent and is almost immediately on her way to the top. This attracts the attention of makeup artist Ruby (Jenna Malone), who offers advice to the young newcomer. Her success also brings competition from fellow models Gigi (Bella Heathcote) and Sarah (Abbey Lee), who struggle to maintain their positions in the industry against such a fresh face as Jesse.

Refn’s work has always been high on style while generally lacking in substance, and really there’s not much difference here in The Neon Demon. It’s a visually astounding piece of art, but does very little to build much of a story beyond the obvious idea of barely twenty-something models finding themselves discarded as “aged out” of the industry. Things eventually take a very horrific turn sure to please the horror fans in the audience, but it’s a quiet trip there.

There was a suggestion of something unearthly happening though, and it was here that one could find a little more substance to The Neon Demon. There’s a quality to Jesse that is never outright explained, but it feels like a lot more than just beauty and youth. Everybody is mesmerized by Jesse. From Ruby, to casting agents, to photographers, each person she encounters seems to fall under a spell. A quick search brings up questions of witches in the film, and even Refn has stated it’s an adult fairy tale.

If you look at it through this lens, you could apply the idea of the triple goddess to the film. There are various interpretations of this idea, but the easiest to follow here would be the maiden, mother, and crone concept. With Sarah as the maiden, Ruby as the mother, and Gigi as the crone, we could set up a typical witchcraft tale. Of course, typical means that The Neon Demon won’t be breaking any gender stereotypes. It also won’t be taking witchcraft or fairy tales away from the “youth good, old bad” idea.

Witchcraft in film is almost always something negative. From Suspiria to Rosemary’s Baby and even The Craft, those who get wrapped up in witchcraft generally aren’t doing it for a positive reason. If we look at Sarah, Ruby, and Gigi as a trio of witches, we find three people desperate to each gain something through the destruction of another. Not exactly the happy go lucky journey of three friends.

While it’s interesting to find an occult aspect to The Neon Demon and even a supernatural presence to Jesse, it’s not something that is made overly apparent until far later in the film. Even then, its suggestion is subtle enough that it could be applied to any number of different reasons, not necessarily supernatural. It’s a great idea for discussion afterwards, but it forces you to do a lot of the legwork for the story.

Tune In or Tune Out

For all it does well, which is quite a bit, The Neon Demon is certainly more style than substance. It’s a visually stunning film and features some great performances from Elle Fanning and Jenna Malone, but it’s incredibly light on story. How you view that will be a personal decision. I enjoy the idea that I can apply so many different opinions to what I’ve just watched. Others may be annoyed that a more straightforward story wasn’t told. Refn’s films tend to be this way though. They’re films you experience instead of watching. It’s something you just understand in your soul while being treated to typically outstanding visuals. It’s worth tuning in to if you find yourself ready to go on a mind bending journey though.