“Nocturne” Review

Story posted October 20, 2020 in CommRadio, Arts & Entertainment by Jack Freiser

“Nocturne” is the third film in the “Welcome to Blumhouse” series. This film follows a young musician who lives in the shadows of her more accomplished twin sister, discovering a notebook from a deceased classmate which gives her all she needs in order to outshine her sister.

This movie was very interesting as it was very ambiguous from start to finish. This ambiguity was great at times but was the movie's detriment in the end.

Sydney Sweeney did a marvelous job as Juliet, the protagonist of the film. She stands out throughout the entire film. She transforms Juliet from a timid girl into a power hungry person. Sweeny sells this performance in many ways and is by far the best part of this movie.

The supporting cast also provides enticing performances. Madison Iseman plays Vivian, the sister of Juliet. Iseman does a great job playing the mean girl, who is sympathetic at times. She is full of life and the director does a marvelous job contrasting Juliet’s dark and timid nature, to Vivan’s bubbly personality.

However, the writing in this movie is questionable at times. The writers of this film really tried to be edgy and “different,” which did not work at times. The movie is very convoluted and there is an unnecessary amount of ambiguity in this film.

The writers created enticing characters with amazing development but fell short in producing a fluid story.

The movie was also very unsettling at times. Although it is hard to brand this film as a horror movie, there are definitely a few horrific moments and one scene that is outright terrifying. The suspense in this film works really well and the use of music in the film is a real standout.

At many moments, they would have silent scenes that would transition to a really jarring sound. These transitions were another highlight in the movie.

Yet, this movie is also shot very nicely. The camera does a great job of creating appealing stills for the audience. They also reveal a lot about the personality of each character through the way they are filmed and the colors surrounding them. The filming enhances the plot and character growth.

Although there are several problems with this movie, it is enjoyable. The acting is stellar and the camera work is incredible. The movie has enough elements of horror to make it worth watching for any horror fan.

However, it would be more appealing to any fans of the film “Black Swan.” The ambiguity of this film created many problems that would make some audience members annoyed.

This movie had the potential to be great, but it missed the homerun and it fell flat in many places.

Rating: 3/5

 

Jack Freiser is a freshman majoring in either media studies or telecommunications. To contact him, email jef5614@psu.edu.