It's 1977 Berlin in an atmosphere of political terrorism. Susie Bannion (Dakota Johnson) is a wide-eyed amateur new to the free avant-garde Tanz Dance Academy. Former dancer Patricia Hingle disappeared and her psychiatrist Josef Klemperer reads her journals. Tilda Swinton plays multiple characters.
This is about three quarter grind and a quarter amaze balls. The grind is a lethargic slow procession. Dakota is also lethargic and struggles to be the lead. Her 50 shades acting has infected this movie. She barely stands out in the sea of wraithlike dancers. It's weird and arthouse beautiful. It's meandering. It's a real grind except when it's amaze balls. The first contortion kill is crazy and good and crazy good. It is visually aggressive and artful. It's new and everything I want from this movie. It's also the best the movie ever gets. There are some good moments after that but they don't exceed it. I can see how some may like the arthouse horror aspect but I suspect that more will not like the slow grind. It's two and a half hours and I wouldn't mind cutting out a good half hour out.
This is about three quarter grind and a quarter amaze balls. The grind is a lethargic slow procession. Dakota is also lethargic and struggles to be the lead. Her 50 shades acting has infected this movie. She barely stands out in the sea of wraithlike dancers. It's weird and arthouse beautiful. It's meandering. It's a real grind except when it's amaze balls. The first contortion kill is crazy and good and crazy good. It is visually aggressive and artful. It's new and everything I want from this movie. It's also the best the movie ever gets. There are some good moments after that but they don't exceed it. I can see how some may like the arthouse horror aspect but I suspect that more will not like the slow grind. It's two and a half hours and I wouldn't mind cutting out a good half hour out.