Only God Forgives is the much anticipated follow-up to Drive from writer-director Nicolas Winding Refn. In many ways, this is an unofficial sequel to Drive: Ryan Gosling takes another lead role, while the sleek cinematography and pulsating soundtrack reverberate with the same intensity. The difference is that Only God Forgives is set in Bangkok, balancing on a much sharper and darker blade. Nicolas Winding Refn has gone for style over substance, forgoing cohesive storytelling for a more emotive and atmospheric Lynchian take.

At its heart, Only God Forgives is a tale of revenge. It’s an age old theme and on the surface it plays out like a Double Dragon video game with a number of henchmen leading up to a boss. However, this is neither a video game nor a naturalistic retelling… it’s a nightmare as our repressed hero, a drug smuggler by the name of Julian, is pressured by his mother into finding and executing the man who killed his brother.

The majority of the film takes place at night, against neon lights and shadows so you can forget about majestic vistas of Thailand.Only God Forgives is set in the seedy, underground criminal world of Bangkok. It’s to Drive, what The Hangover Part II was to The Hangover. The city has its dark secrets and Nicolas Winding Refn spins a web, determined to entangle some of its most despicable characters before unleashing its spider.

Ryan Gosling’s performance is reserved and with about 17 lines, it’s sparse and seemingly vacant. This inert energy could be mistaken for a languishing performance, but he’s portraying a man who’s trying to escape his life by withdrawing. As we learn of his history from his overbearing mother, we begin to realise the depths of his dysfunction.

Kristin Scott Thomas plays Julian’s mother, Crystal, a well-conditioned, superficial and manipulative bottle blonde trophy wife. She’s a tigress and puppet master, snarling at and controlling everyone in her path. It’s a sick, sultry and wicked performance and Scott Thomas injects power into the domineering matriarch.

“Mom, you’ll love her… she’s nothing like you.”

Then, Vithaya Pansringarm rounds off the pick of the actors as Chang, a bent police chief. His cruel sense of justice digs up complications as he tries to play God. The limber and controlled Chang is revered for being ruthless, relentless and seemingly invincible. His calm demeanor and unassuming dress sense contrast sharply with his indomitable and unflinching violence. Pansringarm is monumental in this performance, delivering a creeping sense of doom.

Nicolas Winding Refn’s influences from David Lynch run deep. The uninvited dream sequences, the slowed down dialogue, the superficial lighting, the uncomfortable atmosphere and the film’s proclivity for the darker side of human nature all point to this. Just like Lynch’s films, power is drawn from nightmares and Only God Forgives immerses itself in this surreal underground world.

The simple story of revenge is not about spoon-feeding the audience with plot points, character development and formula. Instead, like Lynch, Refn is creating a rich tapestry and art film that has its own sense of space and time, leaning on beautifully composed cinematic moments. Only God Forgives has tremendous power, borrowing strong cinematic qualities from Drive, and delivering a dark underground story of revenge with a despicable and brutal force.

This is a divisive and unsettling film. If you enjoyed Drive and hold a special place for the work of David Lynch, you will find much to appreciate and challenge you in Only God Forgives. It’s not easy-viewing, but is provocative and compelling as a piece of moving art.

The bottom line: Deviant

Release date: 9th May, 2014
Book Tickets at The Labia Theatre
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