I was expecting slick. Slicker than the 70s original. The trailer suggested slick. There’s a good level of grit here though and it’s more of a reimagining than a remake. Yes there are dancers and demons, but where Argento’s story was simple, this fleshes things out with a little more depth. With that depth though I feel much of the style is lost, certainly in the opening act. Guadagnino’s Susperia takes more time, even though the premise is set immediately, it leisurely slow burns and it’s really half an hour before anything substantial hits the screen, but when it does... it really hits the spot. Camera, colour, vivid passion it’s all there. It’s all used more sparingly though, touches of homage, but far from copying its source. The menace before suggested is real here, with inventive scenes of vivid horror. Yes we’re 40 years on and yes modern film techniques help a lot, but there’s still a rawness present, which gets pretty gory in places. What there’s not however is that ever present score. Thom Yorke’s work is fantastic, but it doesn’t set the tone in the way Goblin did. The biggest issue for me though is the lack of jeopardy. Suzy in the original has an innocence and although here Chloë Grace Moretz plays her with much more confidence, she’s never helpless, as ultimately proves to be the case. Her character’s given much more purpose, but is it necessary? Arguably not. Is this new version even necessary? No probably not, but it is good. If you’re gonna watch one, stick to the original.
7/10
