I rarely think about my own body when watching a body horror movie. The mere thought of my flesh twisting, stretching, or reforming the way it does in David Cronenberg’s The Fly or Brian Yuzna’s Society is enough to give me a small panic attack. Body horror is best enjoyed when I can disconnect, observe, and let myself be happily sickened from a third-party, viewer's perspective.
The Substance, however, does not let you disconnect. Instead, Coralie Fargeat’s drippy, goopy gorefest invites you to see yourself on screen – and have a slightly intense but strangely enjoyable existential crisis for two hours and 20 minutes. The quest for perfection The Substance stars Demi Moore as Elisabeth Sparkle, a fading celebrity once lauded for her looks – which were the focus of a rather sexualized dance-fitness show for several decades.
After being fired from the show on her 50th birthday, Elisabeth comes across a black-market, cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself named Sue (played by Margaret Qualley). Without giving too much away..
. it doesn’t go well. We can infer this from the cryptic trailers and marketing that invite you to dial the number, ask about the Substance, and give it a try – it’ll change your life.
I’d argue that most horror trailers make the mistake of giving away some of the most significant scenes, or sometimes even the climax (looking at you, Speak No Evil). But the brief, arthouse-indie-style teaser.