HornsLeviticus 16:8 talks of how a goat would be cast out carrying the sins of a community, a horned sacrifice and recipient for all the unresolved vice and evil within men. Horns--adapted from the novel by the talented Joe Hill--suggests that not much has changed since the Old Testament days, although the supernatural takes center stage in this morality play and horror thriller about a young man who finds himself burdened with the sins of his community, persecuted and unjustly condemned by those who hide deep sins of their own, revealed when they are forced to confront their resident scapegoat.
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Horns is the story of Ignatius "Ig" Perrish (Daniel Radcliffe), a pariah in his own home town of Gideon, New Hampshire, after having been marked, accused of the rape and murder of his childhood sweetheart, Merrin Williams (Juno Temple). The only person who expresses a genuine belief that Ig did not kill Merrin is his childhood friend turned public defender, Lee Tourneau (Max Minghella). After one blasphemous bacchanal born of frustration and loathing--following his desecration of the shrine built at the site of her death, and christened by her father, Dale Williams (David Morse) by condemning Ig, he awakens to discover a pair of horns sprouting from his head. And like a perverse Pinocchio, the horns grow in size and stature as Ig awakens to his newfound infernal powers--and the repercussions threaten to tear his already crumbling world to pieces. The horns have the adverse effect of causing those around him to confess their deepest sinful desires, seeking his approval to indulge, a quality which gives him the power to exert a tempting sway over others and extract the naked truth from those who walk unshielded. And with the subsequent revelations that follow, Ig embarks upon a mission to use his new found talents to unearth the true killer of his love. But whether these dark talents will ultimately save his soul or lead him down the path to damnation is the central conflict of Horns.
Horns frequently dashes back and forth between black comedy and Faustian terror, with the plot of the novel shaken up just enough to be a jazzy riff on the source material. Daniel Radcliffe delivers an outstanding performance as Ig; he embodies the character's mix of guilt and self-loathing, which develop into a sneering sense of dark justice and moments of bitter mirth tempered with ironic wit. His casting in Horns also feels like a subtle jab to critics of the Harry Potter films/books, claiming they espoused witchcraft et al. Juno Temple also shines as Merrin, the beautiful fire in Ig's life--snuffed out too soon--giving off a compelling combination of both divine grace and smoldering sexuality. The film also has great character actors such as James Remar (Derrick Perrish) as Ig's father. The soundtrack selections--while different than the songs mentioned in the novel--still serve the purpose of highlighting the significance of music in the life of Ig Perrish (and his family); the film version of Ig is more of a Bowie fan than his Stones-loving novel counterpart. (Both are right by me.) What's interesting is that although the setting of Horns appears to be contemporary, when Ig and his friends are younger--just thirteen years prior--the style of dress starts out as though they were of the Seventies; that style rapidly evolves as we get progressive later events in Ig's past. I believe this accentuates the significance of the music in Ig's life, mirroring the novel where music is in his blood. Music is everywhere in Ig's life; his family is a collection of talented musicians, he walks through the woods with Merrin in his Nirvana t-shirt...the hymn they sing in his church as a kid is actually a Cat Stevens song. Ig is a radio DJ, and has an impressive vinyl collection, favoring classic and alternative rock. As he grows older, his passion for music reflects the evolving music of the times. And they say that the devil was the one who created music...
Horns is fun in the way that it subverts expectations and tropes of the holy and the unholy, the sacred and the profane. Ig is our protagonist and we sympathize with his plight; yet he is apparently cursed with the aberrant horns which cause him so much grief at first. Once he's acclimated to their unique abilities, he allows himself to indulge in meting out his particular brand of justice. But Ig discovers some unfortunate truths about his loved ones and people he thought he knew as a result of his power, raising the question if it is better to live free from the truth of others' sinful thoughts, or to allow the illusion of goodness to wash over you like a numbness. Ig is a misunderstood hero, and finds friends in unlikely places, such as his troupe of snakes that follow him around. The implication of his persecution is that he mirrors the image of the devil himself, classified as the root of all evil, but one which was the favored angel of God, the message being that sometimes it's best to reserve judgment until all the facts are in, as well as "judge not lest ye be judged". A friend of mine introduced me to the work of Joe Hill years ago--an outstanding writer worth the full attention of any serious fan of modern fiction. Horns takes many of the most memorable scenes from the novel and reinterprets them with a cinematic context. Like many adaptations, liberties have been taken here and there, but many of the more memorable scenes are captured for the silver screen--if not literally, at least spiritually. The most significant changes have been with regards to the choice to withhold the reveal of the killer until much later in the story, although time is afforded for Ig to formulate an appropriate plan for revenge against his nemesis. Much of the novel was told through flashback, a convention which is carried over successfully into the film, as events from Ig's past illuminate events in the present, a feature doubly important when Ig experiences a literal flashback following making physical contact with them. A personal favorite scene of mine involving Ig's car--slyly chosen to be an AMC Gremlin-which makes it into the film gives new definition to the phrase "hot rod". And while the movie remains fundamentally true to its roots, I would advise detail-driven fans of the book to leave their reservations at the door, and just enjoy the highlights from the story captured for the movie, and have a devilishly good time while you're at it.
Recommended for: Fans of Joe Hill's excellent novel, a mix of black comedy and horror laden with religious allegory and rock and roll, and people looking for a fun twist on a "redemption" story.
Horns frequently dashes back and forth between black comedy and Faustian terror, with the plot of the novel shaken up just enough to be a jazzy riff on the source material. Daniel Radcliffe delivers an outstanding performance as Ig; he embodies the character's mix of guilt and self-loathing, which develop into a sneering sense of dark justice and moments of bitter mirth tempered with ironic wit. His casting in Horns also feels like a subtle jab to critics of the Harry Potter films/books, claiming they espoused witchcraft et al. Juno Temple also shines as Merrin, the beautiful fire in Ig's life--snuffed out too soon--giving off a compelling combination of both divine grace and smoldering sexuality. The film also has great character actors such as James Remar (Derrick Perrish) as Ig's father. The soundtrack selections--while different than the songs mentioned in the novel--still serve the purpose of highlighting the significance of music in the life of Ig Perrish (and his family); the film version of Ig is more of a Bowie fan than his Stones-loving novel counterpart. (Both are right by me.) What's interesting is that although the setting of Horns appears to be contemporary, when Ig and his friends are younger--just thirteen years prior--the style of dress starts out as though they were of the Seventies; that style rapidly evolves as we get progressive later events in Ig's past. I believe this accentuates the significance of the music in Ig's life, mirroring the novel where music is in his blood. Music is everywhere in Ig's life; his family is a collection of talented musicians, he walks through the woods with Merrin in his Nirvana t-shirt...the hymn they sing in his church as a kid is actually a Cat Stevens song. Ig is a radio DJ, and has an impressive vinyl collection, favoring classic and alternative rock. As he grows older, his passion for music reflects the evolving music of the times. And they say that the devil was the one who created music...
Horns is fun in the way that it subverts expectations and tropes of the holy and the unholy, the sacred and the profane. Ig is our protagonist and we sympathize with his plight; yet he is apparently cursed with the aberrant horns which cause him so much grief at first. Once he's acclimated to their unique abilities, he allows himself to indulge in meting out his particular brand of justice. But Ig discovers some unfortunate truths about his loved ones and people he thought he knew as a result of his power, raising the question if it is better to live free from the truth of others' sinful thoughts, or to allow the illusion of goodness to wash over you like a numbness. Ig is a misunderstood hero, and finds friends in unlikely places, such as his troupe of snakes that follow him around. The implication of his persecution is that he mirrors the image of the devil himself, classified as the root of all evil, but one which was the favored angel of God, the message being that sometimes it's best to reserve judgment until all the facts are in, as well as "judge not lest ye be judged". A friend of mine introduced me to the work of Joe Hill years ago--an outstanding writer worth the full attention of any serious fan of modern fiction. Horns takes many of the most memorable scenes from the novel and reinterprets them with a cinematic context. Like many adaptations, liberties have been taken here and there, but many of the more memorable scenes are captured for the silver screen--if not literally, at least spiritually. The most significant changes have been with regards to the choice to withhold the reveal of the killer until much later in the story, although time is afforded for Ig to formulate an appropriate plan for revenge against his nemesis. Much of the novel was told through flashback, a convention which is carried over successfully into the film, as events from Ig's past illuminate events in the present, a feature doubly important when Ig experiences a literal flashback following making physical contact with them. A personal favorite scene of mine involving Ig's car--slyly chosen to be an AMC Gremlin-which makes it into the film gives new definition to the phrase "hot rod". And while the movie remains fundamentally true to its roots, I would advise detail-driven fans of the book to leave their reservations at the door, and just enjoy the highlights from the story captured for the movie, and have a devilishly good time while you're at it.
Recommended for: Fans of Joe Hill's excellent novel, a mix of black comedy and horror laden with religious allegory and rock and roll, and people looking for a fun twist on a "redemption" story.