The Substance

Beauty, vanity, acceptance. How far are you willing to go in order to maintain your youthful beauty? That’s what The Substance is here to ask us. The Substance is brilliantly shot, it’s filled from start to finished with unique and colorfully disturbing imagery that will definitely seep into your dreams after you watch it. While it’s definitely a concept that has been visited before, none come close to the horrific and viscerally graphic direction that The Substance takes us. Great performances throughout. Dennis Quaid probably gives one of his more memorable performances by portraying the role of a disgusting, degrading and chauvinistic asshole. While Demi Moore gives us a more intimate insight into the mental fragility of an aging star in Hollywood. I wanted so bad for this movie to hit the 4 star threshold, but unfortunately the third act really dragged on and I couldn’t see the over arching conclusion that it was trying to make. I have no issue with gory and shocking, but not at the expense of the story, especially in its finale. In conclusion, The Substance is graphic, its unsettling, and it might make your hurl up your dinner if you just ate, but it does a fantastic job at showing us the true cost of putting societal values and expectations over your own mental health and well being.

I don't even know what Feminists think about this movie. Women might like it. But it's the men liking it and not understanding it as anything but Film Gore that should give one pause.

This movie was a piece of 💩!!! Waste of my time & money! Can’t believe it was nominated for ANY kind of award in ANY category. Ms. Moore had to be either desperate for some kind of comeback role or just to pay the rent or both! 💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩 💩💩💩💩💩💩💩

The film is excellent, dealing with relevant issues and contemporary themes. I think it would have been better if it was made in a different genre because, as a horror, it’s a bit over the top. The plot is great, but I feel the ending is exaggerated. That’s why I’m giving it a lower rating. Otherwise, the acting and portrayal are excellent.

Wow. Can you not look away when watching? Haha... A slow burn that absolutely builds!

Whenever I match with a girl on a dating app who says she likes movies in her profile, I always start by asking her what is her favorite movie of 2024 and if she says The Substance, I unmatch.

This is a modern take on The Fly; great acting and the message was on point, but the plot moved way too slow. I fast forwarded several parts because I started getting bored

Best movie of 2024 and there’s no competition.

If you like gore for a horror film, this is your movie. I don’t care for just gore and would rather be scared in a startling way.

The Substance est une œuvre radicale, dérangeante, et viscéralement engagée. Elle ne plaira clairement pas à tout le monde, et c’est tant mieux. Ce film ne cherche pas à caresser dans le sens du poil : il choque, il bouscule, mais surtout, il interroge. C’est une satire sanglante et provocante de notre obsession de la jeunesse, un miroir cruel tendu à une société obsédée par l’apparence, la performance, et la perfection. Visuellement frappant, narrativement osé, The Substance s’impose comme une expérience cinématographique presque organique, à ne pas mettre entre toutes les mains, mais à ne surtout pas ignorer. Cela dit, si le propos est fort, la dernière partie verse dans un gore outrancier, presque gratuit. On comprend la volonté de choquer, mais à ce stade, le message était déjà passé, et cette surenchère visuelle risque de faire décrocher certains spectateurs. Un peu plus de retenue dans le final n’aurait pas enlevé d’impact au contraire. Malgré cette dérive sanglante, The Substance reste un film audacieux, ambitieux et viscéralement moderne.