Since the dawn of filmmaking, cinema has allowed people to incorporate themes and messages in their work. Whether it be discovery and liberation (the latter of which was a recurring theme in Soviet filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein’s work) or the right to one’s own autonomy, cinema has been an outlet for filmmakers to promote views and ideas. These concepts are explored in “Poor Things,” the latest film from Yorgos Lanthimos. 

An adaptation of the 1992 novel by Alasdair Gray, “Poor Things” tells the tale of Bella Baxter, a recently deceased woman in Victorian England, who has recently been revived by Godwin “God” Baxter, a disfigured Frankenstein-esque surgeon. In studying Bella’s growth, Baxter is assisted by Max McCandless (played by Ramy Youssef), a medical student at the school where he teaches. However, right before she is about to be married, Bella runs off with Duncan Wedderburn (played by Mark Ruffalo) — a sketchy, decadent lawyer — to seek adventure and autonomy.  

Emma Stone is an absolute powerhouse as Bella Baxter. She embodies this reborn woman who seeks freedom, new experiences and adventure — along with capturing her rapid maturity perfectly. Some highlights of her outstanding performance include the sequence at a restaurant in Lisbon, where she challenges the norms of society (including the line “I must go punch that baby”) and a scene in the second act where she is shown the cruelty of the world by Harry Astley (played by Jerrod Carmichael) in Alexandria.

Photo of “Poor Things” movie poster. (Contributed/etsy.com)

As Godwin Baxter, Willem Dafoe gives an excellent performance as always. His monologue to Max in the first act, in which he tells him the origins of Bella, showcases his fantastic supporting performance.

Mark Ruffalo is hysterical as Duncan Wedderburn, a sleazy scoundrel of a person. Ruffalo portrays this character whose fragility encompasses him, with some extremely hilarious moments and line deliveries coming from Ruffalo’s performance. 

In terms of the direction of the film, Yorgos Lanthimos has crafted a truly visionary work. Lanthimos, who has gained prominence for films with offbeat premises (such as 2011’s “Alps” and 2015’s “The Lobster”) along with being the most famous filmmaker of the Greek Weird Wave film movement, gains some fantastic performances out of the cast and captures a surreal otherworldly experience like no other. 

Tony McNamara wrote a brilliant script. In his second collaboration with Yorgos Lanthimos (after 2018’s “The Favourite”), McNamara adapts Gray’s novel, examines themes of freedom and autonomy through the Frankenstein mythos and incorporates some hilarious dialogue at several points throughout the film.

Jerskin Fendrix’s soundtrack, which he composed for the film, is truly one of the best of 2023. With his debut score, Fendrix encapsulates the whimsical nature of the movie. Some of the best pieces of the score include “I Just Hope She’s Alright” (which is featured during a carnal montage) and “Portuguese Dance II” (featured during a sequence with Bella frantically dancing to the music of an orchestra, with this scene featuring a brief cameo from Fendrix himself, as a member of said orchestra). 

As for the cinematography, Robbie Ryan’s visuals are truly breathtaking. Shot on Kodak 35mm B&W along with EKTACHROME Reversal film stocks, Ryan captures gorgeous shots, whether it be the stark black & white in the first act or the stunning color palette reminiscent of early Technicolor — along with prominent usage of the fisheye lens in a plethora of scenes. These shots include a zoom shot of Bella in the center of the frame as she listens to a fado singer (played by Carminho) in Lisbon. There is also a wide shot of Bella looking at the skyline of Lisbon, with the steampunk version of the city in full view.  

“Poor Things” takes the viewer on a surreal fever dream of a journey with an outstanding cast, phenomenal direction, gorgeous cinematography and a fantastic soundtrack, along with tackling themes of autonomy. 

“Poor Things” is truly like nothing you have ever seen. 

“Poor Things” is currently playing in theaters.