Helen Potter

Really not sure how I felt about it.. As a 'horror' film, it's as you'd expect.. Gory etc..so, if that's what you're going to see it for, you won't be disappointed. I feel it was marketed as a film that "challenges unrealistic beauty standards". I didn't really feel like it "challenged" unrealistic beauty standards but rather just acknowledged that beauty standards are unrealistic.. So, I'm not sure really.. It basically just reinforces that women are somewhat "sent to pasture" after a certain age.. And the lengths they go to to retain their youth. But we know this anyway.. So I'm not really sure what the "message" is. And lots of visual references to other horror films which you'll either love or feel distracted by? But none of the references feel particularly relevant to the plot of The Substance. So, I'm on the fence. But it was worth a watch.