Grade: 56/100
“Horns,” despite what its name may suggest, is anything but sharp. Solitary standout performance of “Harry Potter” portrayer Daniel Radcliffe notwithstanding, much of the movie is spent blindly careening from one thematic element to another.
Radcliffe, moving further and further away from the role he’s most noted for, plays Ignatius Perris, a man wrongly accused of his girlfriend’s murder. Merrin is her name, and she’s played to a sort of campy ethereal effectiveness by Englishwoman Juno Temple. In a turn of events remarkably reminiscent of October smash hit “Gone Girl,” but minus all of David Fincher’s trademark subtleties, Perris finds all the evidence pointing to him and no way out. His severe alcoholism, and resultant lack of explanation for the events of the previous night, seem to all but incarcerate him on the spot.
Perris, who at this point has effectively given in, chooses to accept the role of villain, and the next day wakes to find a literal pair of horns sprouting out of his skull. Aside from the pain, the horns bring something entirely unexpected with them as well–Perris’ friends, family and strangers alike suddenly feel the urge to confess to him their darkest desires and secrets. Rather than allowing the situation to grow into itself at a comfortable rate, French director Alexandre Aja (“The Hills Have Eyes,” “High Tension”) opts to let things spiral uncontrollably out of hand as if part of some ridiculous “Fawlty Towers” episode.
The immensely transparent biblical allusion, to the Garden of Eden in particular, becomes overly in-your-face at times, from the scenes of a half-naked Merrin prancing through the forest like some spritely faun to the snakes that follow Perris everywhere and do his bidding. Most remarkably lacking in its subtlety, perhaps, is the diner called “Eve’s” of all things, replete with a juicy fluorescent apple on its sign.
While often overbearing in its familiar plot devices, “Horns” is also singularly beautiful in its own way. Cinematography by longtime David Lynch collaborator Frederick Elmes, combined with the idyllic temperament and gorgeous scenery of the Pacific Northwest, makes for great camerawork. Additionally, Radcliffe shines once again as this determinedly angst-ridden anti hero. His perpetually buzzed/drunk/hungover Ignatius Perris is a bright spot for this decidedly dark spot of a film. And to think that the trailer showed so much promise.