In 2019 on the Cannes film festival director [Nicolas Winding Refn]() ( the director of the 2013 film [Only God Forgives](/reviews/Only_God_Forgives) ) released episodes 4 and 5 of his ( then ) new multi-episode picture *Too Old To Die Young*. Episode 5 titled "The Fool" contains a car chase scene. Some argue it is one of the most romantic car chases in cinematic history. The joke is, that the car chase is set to a romantic Barry Manilow's 1974 hit "Mandy", making the juxtaposition rather hilarious in nature. But given the ass-born theory specialist that I am, I must suggest an interesting twist to this whole ordeal. During the principal photography of the first episode of *Too Old To Die Young* another film-maker [Panos Cosmatos]() released a film, strangely similar in style to whatever Refn is doing. And his film was called *Mandy*. We can theorize that maybe Refn responded, in his strange way, recognizing the stylistic similarities, so to speak.

If you find *Only God Forgives* a little weird, you will find *Mandy* borderline unwatchable. At least the first half of it, where Panos Cosmatos indulges in such a heavy dose of cinematic eccentricity that the film holds on a very thin thread of legibility, risking total loss of comprehensibility. Then, about midway, the film switches gears and becomes a violent action film, where Panos Cosmatos indulges in a far more legible ultra-violence. In a way Panos takes whatever Refn is doing in *Only God Forgives* and cranks it up to 25. Not to 11, not to 12. To 25.

Even though the visual mastery on screen when it comes of *Mandy* is self evident. Panos's 2010's film *Beyond the Black Rainbow*, like *Mandy* is full of nice cinematography, understanding of composition and light. I would suggest that Refn is far superior as a film-maker in general. Somehow, given the eccentricities of both film-makers, Refn movies tend to be way more watchable. *Only God Forgives* even though slow and artsy, has a far better pacing and flow, than whatever Panos cooked up for *Mandy*. That said, though, Panos Cosmatos was able to craft here an utterly fucked up atmosphere. Leaving the first time viewer in something akin to shock by the end of the film. 

I think the best way to describe the difference is by examining the word "juxtaposition" itself. Refn lives in juxtaposition. He would cut from a violent scene to a nice melodic scene. Or use a romantic song in a tense action beat. While Panos will be violent where violence is needed. And will make you feel high on drugs when the characters indulge in drugs. Panos doesn't juxtapose as much.

[Nicolas Cage]() playing the main character in *Mandy* might be, given my theorizing ass, a reference Panos chose to do toward Nicolas Winding Refn. Or might be just a good casting decision. Given the actor's ability to play both subtle emotions and explode into theatrical fits of insanity pretty much at a moment's notice.

Cage's character is interesting. *Mandy* at it's core is a revenge flick. A sort of reverse slasher ( where the good guy is the one who kills the most people ). There is a gang of evil bikers toward the beginning of the film, which do something very awful to Cage's character. They are interesting. They speak in this muffled low pitched voice, probably due to how much violence and evil shit they are a part of. Or maybe because of some drugs they take.

By the end of the film, as Cage is killing his last victim, we hear that Cage's voice also changes to this low pitched muffled one. As if he became the monster he was trying to eliminate. That is an interesting corruption of the audience. 

**Happy Hacking!!!**