Emerald Fennell captivates audiences with “Saltburn”

Emerald Fennell, director of “Promising Young Women” which won Best Original Screenplay at the 93rd Academy Awards, has done it again.

Despite a hard watch, I found “Promising Young Women” one of the most powerful films released. So, when I heard Fennell had released “Saltburn,” I was excited to see another masterpiece of hers.

Although released in November of 2023, I didn’t get around to watching it until recently. I had heard mixed reviews of this movie, so I was not very interested in watching it.

However, the ensemble alone made me intrigued to give it a try: Jacob Elordi (heart eyes), Rosamund Pike, Barry Keoghan. I mean, this list goes on.

Although a strange show (to say the least), Elordi does an amazing job playing the ruthless Nate Jacobs in “Euphoria.” Pike played the charming Amy Dunne in “Gone Girl.” Keoghan’s character, Druig, in the Marvel movie “Eternals” is on the fun side: the superhero who will do anything in his power to make things right. Seeing how they brought all these dynamic characters to the screen in these other films and shows, “Saltburn” yet again manages to show us another side of their acting that kept you intrigued through the entire two-hour film.

I was thoroughly fascinated by Keoghan and his depiction of Oliver Quick, who quite clearly was the star of the show.

The only word that came to mind immediately after watching this movie was, simply, “wow.”

“Saltburn” follows the life of scholarship student at Oxford University Oliver Quick, who finds himself in a world of riches and lust. Oliver befriends another Oxford student, Felix Catton, played by Elordi. However, what starts off as companionship slowly turns into … obsession? Love?

One of the big questions I had during the movie and what kept me on my toes: Was Oliver in love with Felix, or was Oliver’s obsession fueled by jealousy of Felix’s life? To not spoil the plot, of course, this movie was a rollercoaster of never-ending ups and downs.

One of the first things I notice about films is the music. It can elevate scenes, enhance the emotion of the characters and inform viewers on what’s about to happen. This movie did just that.

This movie was also just visually appealing. The cinematography was another aspect of the film that I couldn’t help noticing. There were so many stunning shots throughout the film. It felt like each scene was a painting.

This movie is not for everyone. When I asked my sister what her thoughts were about the movie, she said, “that was two hours of my life that I unfortunately will never get back.”

I do agree, this film is not for the faint of heart. But as someone who is a sucker for beautiful yet disturbing stories that keep you guessing, it was definitely an experience. I give this film 4/5 stars.