This British thriller is blended with dry black humour and a satirical undertone that leaves the audience restless, writes Lukáš Vaněček.
Emerald Fennell, three years after her acclaimed debut Promising Young Woman, which earned her an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, returns to the silver screen with her latest directorial effort – Saltburn.
Oliver (Barry Keoghan) is a timid new student at Oxford University with lofty ambitions to be among the best. On the other end of the spectrum is the local heartthrob enjoying student life, Felix (Jacob Elordi), hailing from a wealthy family. While bookish Oliver strives to succeed, he soon realizes that knowledge alone won’t take him far in life. An unexpected friendship with unrequited love forms between the two boys. Everything changes when Felix invites Oliver to spend the holidays at the Saltburn mansion of his family.
Watching this film is like being on a roller coaster at an amusement park, with no one knowing what lurks around the next turn. The story begins as a completely ordinary narrative about student life and unfulfilled platonic love in the backdrop of picturesque Oxford.
As we delve deeper into the characters, especially within the opulent estate of the affluent family, the atmosphere and direction of the film change. Gradually, the audience discovers that not everything that glitters is gold, just as our protagonist is not as innocent as he appears on the surface. The narrative escalation may be slow, but its conclusion is utterly gripping.
The cast is so convincing that you believe blue blood runs in their veins, and their hearts are thoroughly embittered without sentiment. Keoghan, however, clearly outshines his fellow actors, aided by a well-written script with a clear character development and transformation. Unfortunately, his character is the only one showing any observable progression. The others serve more as caricatures of the upper class without visible growth or explanation of certain circumstances.
Fennell proves herself as a skilful director and screenwriter. The film balances darkly comedic elements with drama, all seasoned with a touch of thriller and a dash of societal critique. The well-chosen soundtrack is adding both a light-hearted feel and a tense atmosphere.
Although the film’s 127-minute duration passes relatively quickly, the ending feels unnecessarily stretched and dull due to several consecutive plot twists, which, while capturing the viewer’s attention, in their abundance rather spoil the overall ending.
While the viewer understands the characters’ individual motivations, a lack of sufficient context leaves some aspects hanging in emptiness. Nonetheless, it is a masterfully executed psychological drama that keeps the audience on edge throughout, eliciting gasps and a sense of uncertainty when encountering new people.
