For a blackly comic supernatural drama about sexuality, young love and the devil, Horns’ opening scene doesn’t set its bar for intelligence or nuance very high. As Ig (Daniel Radcliffe) and Merrin (Juno Temple) lie in a mossy wood like a Twilight parody, the young woman asks her paramour “Are you horny?” “No,” he replies, “but I’m getting warmer.”
Clumsy on-the-nose genre tropes and exposition seem to be Alexandre Aja’s forte in this Dogma-lite religious satire, which attempts to blend elements of comedy, horror, romance and procedural thriller. Reverently adapted from Joe Hill’s novel, the film finds Ig charged with the murder of his long-time love. His declarations of innocence become even less credible when horns sprout from his head. But as Ig’s devilish protuberances cause those around him to reveal their darkest inclinations, he uses his powers to unravel the mystery surrounding Merrin’s death.
The fantastical concept is initially well-handled, as Ig comes to understand what purpose his horns serve. However, as the film rapidly descends into endless scenes of men revealing homosexual inclinations and women becoming promiscuous manipulators, Aja’s self-indulgent adolescent humour obliterates any sense of subtlety, momentum or pacing. His horror background also consumes the overlong second half, as dodgy special effects and an unnecessarily horrific scene of sexual violence undoes any sense of silly fun. Meanwhile, Keith Bunin’s deeply repetitive and exposition-laden script telegraphs every emotional and mechanical revelation eons in advance, leaving little to invest in.
These scraps include Radcliffe’s committed performance, and the independently great but overly conscious soundtrack. Songs like ‘Personal Jesus’, ‘Where Is My Mind’ and ‘Shut Up I Am Dreaming Of Places Where Lovers Have Wings’ exemplify the film’s fatal flaw; through its meticulous orchestration of irreverence, Horns ironically becomes dogmatic.
In cinemas now.