We’re in the midst of the Cannes Festival, and it seems we already have a winner for the most applauded film: “The Substance,” a complex body horror movie that reportedly received a 13-minute ovation from viewers, according to Deadline.
It is directed by Coralie Fargeat, known for helming “Revenge,” a 2017 action production starring Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz about a young woman seeking revenge on three men who left her for dead in the desert after a brutal assault.
This time, she is joined by Margaret Qualley and Demi Moore as the leads of her upcoming title. The rest of the cast includes performances by Dennis Quaid, Hugo Diego Garcia, Joseph Balderrama, Oscar Lesage, and more.
When will ‘The Substance’ be released?
Mubi has just confirmed the release date for “The Substance,” and fortunately for all horror fans, it’s closer than expected. As announced by the entertainment company, it will hit theaters on September 20th.
Now, it’s only left to know when it will be released in other countries. This will certainly happen, as Mubi acquired worldwide rights to the film and plans to distribute it theatrically in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Austria, and Latin America.
It is billed as a feminist take on body horror, revolving around a new product called The Substance that promises to transform people into the best version of themselves. Those who have already seen it say it has an unexpected plot twist.
This marks the highly anticipated return of Demi Moore to the big screen after her 2022 role as Olivia in “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent”. On TV, she recently appeared in Ryan Murphy’s “Feud,” where she portrayed Ann Woodward for eight episodes.
What has the critic said about ‘The Substance’?
The critic has praised the excellence of “The Substance,” particularly regarding its raw aesthetic. In fact, there have been many comparisons to the style David Cronenberg exhibited during his most gruesome era.
More specifically, many film specialists have said that Demi Moore’s film could equal or even surpass “The Fly,” Cronenberg’s most renowned creation to date. Just as Jeff Goldblum’s character transforms into a monstrous fly, a similar transformation happens to Elisabeth Sparkle as she attempts to become a younger version of herself. Damon Wise explained it well in his review for Deadline.
“Imagine David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive fused in a telepod with David Cronenberg’s Dead Ringers, add the unbelievably dynamic pairing of Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley, process it through the ultra-vivid color palette that is Fargeat’s hyper-saturated imagination, sprinkle a bit of J.G. Ballard on top, and you have the perfect breakout genre movie of the year.”
