Raw

"Why didn't you fight back?" I have never, in my life, watched a movie that made me feel so dirty, sweaty, and uneasy as this one did, unlike other movies in this genre or ones that tackle a similar subject. Raw does not hide its oddities underneath a guise of warmth or belonging, it’s visceral in its realism and hopelessness. Half of the time I couldn’t believe what I was seeing because what the fuck, who does that? I’ve never been one to stomach gore or body horror but something about this film made me stay no matter how disgusted or terrified I may feel. Compared to movies like Blue Velvet or Bones and all, Raw does not have a dreamlike capture that embraces comfort despite the unnerving topic; instead, it grounds itself through bleak or colorless sets in costuming, coloring, and all those aspects. This movie feels real and because of that, you feel the shame of what they’re doing to a deeper level. There is no disguising their horrid nature, or the monstrosity of it. It feels innate to them but still, you know right from wrong. Like its themes, all of the scenes feel raw and animalistic yet so fiercely human, it scares you. We all hunger and want for things we cannot possess, if you replace that hunger for flesh with another thing, this movie will look more like a coming-of-age tale than a horror. I saw a Reddit post about how this movie is a critique of human hypocrisy, specifically when it comes to consumption and the grotesque treatment of animals, and how we justify it by deeming it “necessary” or how “they can’t feel it.” That scene where Justine and Alex are fighting and they get held back by two people is so beautiful and awe-inspiring for me (albeit in a morbid way), they looked like true animals ready to pounce and devour one another. This movie peels back all the human skin, morality, and justifications, leaving us with only the most primitive instinct of all. In a way, I can almost understand Justine’s curiosity and want from how badly she was repressed, it’s like discovering a superpower that was there all along and testing the limits to see how far you can really fly. She might’ve been insane, but god was she free and untouchable. It’s almost like smashing the visage of the perfect girl and shedding all that fear and shame that held you back. She did all of it, but free my girl! The allegory of generational trauma in this one too, specifically the dangers of keeping your kids ignorant as a parent. Having this false sense of perfection from your role models can be destructive in a sense. Especially when such a fatal flaw is hidden and treated temporarily—Justine was pushed out into the world blind and searching. No wonder she expressed it so violently, how can one cope with the fact that they crave human flesh? This movie never would’ve happened if half of these characters knew how to communicate properly. Truly gave me the creeps and I probably shouldn’t have watched this while baking.