As a big fan of Coralie Fargeat's <I><A HREF="https://letterboxd.com/film/revenge-2017/">Revenge</A></i>, a colorful, incredible, action-packed feature debut, I went into <I>The Substance</i> with an open mind, and then walked away with it splattered everywhere.
Screen Queen Demi Moore plays Elizabeth, a workout celebrity whose career isn't working out to what it used to be. Realizing this, especially after a car accident and eventual dismissal, she signs up for a black market drug called "The Substance" that forever changes her entire life, leading to a complete downward spiral. A regenerated, younger, more beautiful version (Margaret Qualley's "Sue") hatches from inside her, providing her with immediate fame (and incredible jealousy from Elizabeth) but also a tug-of-war between life and death. The two must swap every seven days... or else.
You can see speckles of David Cronenberg's <I>Videodrome</i> and <I>eXistenZ</i> within the film, as well as elements from other horror classics such as <I>Society</i> and <i>Slither</i>, which will excite fans of the Body Horror subgenre.
Kudos to you, Ms. Fargeat, for creating a beautiful, creative film that reminds us of how aging will always remain in power, unable to be unseated from its throne, and how many will do anything to remain as their former selves no matter the consequences.
<B>Final thoughts:</b>
Forget the instructions. Inject yourself immediately.
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