Nightmare Alley: An Under The Lens Review

Under the lens takes a deep look at films by focusing in on one or two particular areas of the picture that helped to define it for better or for worse.

Nightmare Alley is a 2021 American noir thriller motion picture directed by Guillermo del Toro, and stars
Bradley Cooper and Cate Blanchett. The story follows a grifter working his way up from low-ranking carnival worker to lauded psychic medium, who then matches wits with a psychiatrist with a dark plan.

UNDER THE LENS: VISUALS & CHESS

Visuals: Guillermo del Toro is known for his pictures being gorgeous with dreamy visuals that carry the viewer into another world. Dan Laustsen‘s cinematography is wonderful and it’s easy to see why Del Toro has worked with him on serval pictures, including Crimson Peak and The Shape of Water. The visuals guide the picture into serval genres, making it feel at times like it is a horror picture, then a noir, then a thriller! We get one scene of Cooper digging in a field with a wide shot of the carnival, and in the distance, we see storm clouds and lightning, it’s a great shot and further immerse the viewer in the story being told.

Chess: While Nightmare Alley at first seems to be a crime thriller, it is a psychological exploration of manipulation and one’s place in the world, it’s a chess game between its characters. All of the characters in the picture at one time or another were powerless and sought to not be. Stanton Carlisle is a man who has been beaten down by life, he seeks to raise his standing by any means necessary. By the end of the picture, we see that Stanton Carlisle is a pawn who thought himself a king, only to discover that he was only a piece in someone else’s game to checkmate another. It’s a devastating revelation, both to the audience and to Carlisle as he realizes that in his effort to get ahead he ended up losing everything that mattered to him.

HIGHLIGHTS

Cate Blanchett turns in a chilling performance as the pictures villain, cold calculating and ruthless.

The picture’s runtime is long and spends over an hour building the story in the carnival, while long it further helps to build the world surrounding our characters.

The saturated colors and over stylized look of the picture was fantastic.

QUOTABLE QUOTE

Stanton Carlisle: Sometimes you don’t see the line until you cross it.

SOMTHING TO THINK ABOUT

Was there ever a time in your life when you discovered you were being manipulated by someone? What did you do?

CONCLUSION

Overall Nightmare Alley is a gripping and disturbing psychological exploration of manipulation and the human condition. It’s anchored by strong performances from its cast and solid direction by Guillermo del Toro. It’s not a picture for everyone, it’s a dark, twisted, and nightmarish look at the depth of human depravity. Its narrative begs to be explored and dissected, it openly only tells the viewer part of the story, leaving the rest as clues to be picked up along the way, it’s a picture that begs for multiple viewings even if those viewings leave us uncomfortable.

Byron Lafayette
Byron Lafayettehttps://viralhare.com/
Byron Lafayette is a film critic and journalist. He is the current Chairman of the Independent Film Critics of America, as well as the Editor and Lead Film Critic for Viralhare and a Staff Writer for Film Obsessive. He also contributes to What Culture and many other publications. He considers Batman V Superman the best superhero film ever made and hopes one day that the genius of Josh Lucas will be recognized.

Related articles

The Mysterious Oarfish: A Harbinger of Doom?

The oarfish, a long and enigmatic creature of the deep sea, has captured the imaginations of sailors, fishermen, and storytellers for centuries. Known scientifically as Regalecus glesne, the oarfish is the longest bony fish...

Rey Skywalker’s Crucial Role in the Future of Star Wars

In the ever-expanding Star Wars universe, few characters have generated as much attention and intrigue as Rey, the heroine at the center of the sequel trilogy. Played by Daisy Ridley, Rey Skywalker’s journey from...

Pee V Pee: Dwayne Johnson, Jennifer Lawrence and Media Double Standards

In the world of celebrity news, it’s no secret that certain stories catch fire based on how they align with – or challenge – public expectations. Sometimes, these narratives reveal deeper cultural biases, particularly...

10 Actors Who Could Play Agent Venom in an Upcoming Movie

With the success of Venom and its sequel, fans are eagerly speculating about what’s next for the symbiote in the Spider-Man universe. One of the most intriguing directions a future Venom movie could take...

5 Comic Stories An Agent Venom Movie Could Adapt

With Venom continuing to dominate the big screen, there’s a growing interest in expanding the character’s cinematic universe. One potential direction for a future Venom film could involve the transformation of Eddie Brock into...
spot_img

Latest articles

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Overall Nightmare Alley is a gripping and disturbing psychological exploration of manipulation and the human condition. It's anchored by strong performances from its cast and solid direction by Guillermo del Toro. It's not a picture for everyone, it's a dark, twisted, and nightmarish look at the depth of human depravity.Nightmare Alley: An Under The Lens Review