Saltburn is a very interesting, intriguing, and disturbing movie. It very quickly establishes an uncomfortable and tense atmosphere around it, drawing the viewer in and hooking them into the story. Full of twists and turns, Saltburn shocked and discomforted viewers at times while still creating an intense story of intrigue, drama, and mystery. The characters are very well written and feel like real breathing people, with each individual character having their own extensive personality that feels authentic. When we first went into watching this movie, we knew that it was going to be disturbing and uncomfortable at times. But all three of us were surprised by the pure oddity and grotesqueness of some of the scenes. We heavily recommend going into the movie blind, as it really improves the watching experience as a whole. Even so, it can be quite an unsettling movie so if you don’t like that kind of stuff, you should definitely read the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) rating so you’re aware of the content before watching. We also recommend watching Saltburn a second time and pay attention. You will definitely notice lots of details that help the story make sense the second time watching, as well as make the foreshadowing hit you like a freight train.
The movie follows Oliver Quick, a scholarship student from a very rough background who is now attending Oxford. He starts out lonely and focusing on his studies with one friend who is seen as a social outcast. He befriends Felix, an affluent partygoer who takes in Oliver and introduces him to the Oxford party life and they grow to become close friends. When summer arrives, Oliver gets a phone call with devastating news relating to his parents. Felix feels bad for Oliver and invites Oliver to spend the summer with his family at Saltburn–his family’s estate. However, when Oliver arrives, a series of events begins to unravel Felix’s family.
The cinematography also reflects the uncomfortable and tense nature of the film, bringing you uncomfortably close in some scenes to force you to watch, and also placing your view far from what is happening to make you feel like you are sneaking around and seeing something you aren’t meant to see. During more tense scenes, the camera focuses on one character so you can only see that character’s reaction to what is going on behind the camera. As well as this, many beautiful shots are taken (in our unprofessional opinion) that show the beauty of this movie alongside the disturbing aspect of it.
In conclusion, we definitely recommend this movie. It is full of twists and turns as well as drama, excitement, and discomfort. Then again, certain scenes can be triggering or too much for many people, so be aware of that before watching Saltburn.
