Director
Brady Corbet
(THE CHILDHOOD OF A LEADER)

Stars
Raffey Cassidy, Stacy Martin, Natalie Portman, Jude Law, Jennifer Ehle and the voice of Willem Dafoe

What rating is fair to give a film that visually enthralls, features acting performances that leave you in awe and is excellent in all aspects, except its narrative? Or more accurately, a film whose narrative finds itself lost. This is the dilemma that I encountered, and you are bound to, after watching the music-driven dramatic motion picture, VOX LUX.

For almost every movie that I review, the essentials of what you need to know form its initial premise and occur at the beginning. In VOX LUX, and trust me with this, it’s quite the opposite. Your viewing experience will be enhanced if you know as little as possible about the first act in the film and only a basic premise as outlined below that follows on from there.

In 2017, a global pop star named Celeste (Natalie Portman) is deeply troubled by a multitude of concerns (they’re more than that, but let’s call them concerns) and ostensibly struggles to cope with the media attention she receives. Especially when a horrific event in another part of the world occurs that will somehow have repercussions on her career, which in turn also heightens her turbulent temperament. Perhaps part of the cause for her erratic behaviour lies in the year 1999, before Celeste (now played by Raffey Cassidy) discovered her voice and became famous…

You see, part of the reason you’ll benefit from knowing less about VOX LUX’s beginning is because this is when its narrative arc is at its best. The story and characterisation are close to, if not just as excellent, as the imagery and camerawork are all throughout. Interplay between a young Celeste and her sister Eleanor (Stacy Martin) are meshed together with brief and very well-written verbal interjections narrated by Willem Dafoe, which shed further clarity over proceedings that pass by. Acting is immaculate, even though Natalie Portman is yet to appear, and most of the first act of VOX LUX is really quite riveting.

Somewhere during the early stages of its timeline jump to 2017, it must be said that VOX LUX does release viewers from the stranglehold it had cast before. The notable difference is the disconnection between storytelling and screen. For example, those aforementioned narrated interjections go from complimenting the story to becoming pivotal in filling significant gaps in the second half. Trying to decipher what point(s) VOX LUX’s narrative is making is a challenge that is quite open to one’s interpretation. While this element of the film will divide audience’s opinions, there is no disputing the extraordinary performance from Natalie Portman. Her breathtaking work and the original songs by Sia that she performs do create an alternative avenue to fulfillment. Well, despite the bad dubbing or obvious lip-syncing, which might be intentional anyway. Another aspect that’s open to interpretation!

3 ½ stars

Note – A special warning to readers before watching VOX LUX, which by the way means ‘Light Voice’ in Latin. If you, or someone you know, suffers from epilepsy, please be advised that there are up to a handful of scenes that contain very strong use of strobe lighting and may trigger a reaction.

Viewer Discretion
MA15+ (Strong themes and violence)

Trailer
VOX LUX

Moviedoc thanks Madman for the invite to the screening of this film.

Opens nationally on Feb 21

Review by Leigh for Moviedoc
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