I used to think that there was nothing worse than a painfully bad movie, but I now know that there is a new circle of movie hell: a good movie that turns itself bad. Horns is one such film.
Directed by Alexandre Aja based on Joe Hill’s novel of the same name, the movie follows “Ignatius Perrish” (Daniel Radcliffe) – “Ig” or “Iggy” to his friends and family – in his attempt to prove his innocence in the murder of his longtime girlfriend, “Merrin” (Juno Temple). The one major hitch in his investigation is the fact that he’s sprouted a pair of horns that inspire the people around him to spill their darkest secrets.
Aja does 90 percent of the film incredibly well, employing a great deal of variety and atmospheric storytelling. However, he doesn’t seem to know the meaning of the word “restraint.” Several of the more climactic moments in the script are just too over the top, taking the viewer out of the drama they thought they were watching with unintentionally comedic moments. As a whole, the film feels inconsistent.
Radcliffe’s performance shares the movie’s tonal irregularity. Though he’s largely convincing, he has trouble handling some of Aja’s wackier material, veering a bit into overacting. He also seems to try too hard at nonchalance, especially in the film’s first act, in which he responds to the supernatural with little more than irritation. As for everyone else in the cast, they fill their roles satisfactorily, if not particularly interestingly.
Horns is constantly on the verge of greatness. However, Aja shoots himself in the foot by pushing the film too far into absurdity. The twists come hard and fast, but there are just too many of them for any one of them to have meaning, making the entire exercise feel slipshod and empty. It’s a pity, because with a bit of editing, it could have been one of the best films of the year.
Leave a Reply