Panos Cosmatos is the director of Mandy, a film that blends horror, art, and LSD visuals with a relentless revenge story. Bizarre doesn’t even begin to describe what he’s achieved with this production, but Mandy is not just a film to watch and admire…it’s a wild, crazy, and unhinged experience.

The first 45 minutes of the movie trudges audiences through Cosmatos' idea of art and expression; it's slow, methodical, and sincerely devoted to it's dark, ominous tone. For film aficionados and fans of Cosmatos, this segment is a treat for the senses as the film acclimates viewers to it's use of color and imagery to elicit the uneasiest feelings.

For everyone else however, this segment may seem disposable, and it's not until Nicolas Cage takes the stage that the film begins to reasonably balance art with entertainment value. Cage, with his stoic demeanor, wicked fight scenes, comical one-liners, and wacky facial expressions, absolutely steals the show as he rampages from scene to scene avenging the violent murder of his love.

Mandy is not a film for everyone. But with a dark horror/metal score, bewitching visuals, and a badass Nicolas Cage, there’s certainly enough madness in Mandy to go around.

Acting and Casting - 2 | Visual Effects and Editing - 1 | Story and Message - 1 | Entertainment Value - 1 | Music Score and Soundtrack - 2 | Reviewer's Preference - 1 | What does this mean?