"Saltburn" is a 2023 psychological drama film that is created by Emerald Fennell. The story follows the character of an Oxford University student who befriended a wealthy fellow student in his college. He will be later invited to spend the summer on the family estate called Saltburn.
Although 2023 has brought a wide range of films for us, cinephiles can't help but gush upon the film's release on Prime Video. "Saltburn" had its world premiere at the 50th Telluride Film Festival last August and had a limited theatrical release in the U.S. and the U.K. last November.
Just in time for Christmas Eve, fans were given a treat when the film was finally released on Amazon Prime Video last December 23. "Saltburn" was quickly embraced by psychological film fans and was applauded for many reasons.
Curious what lies beneath Saltburn? Here are some reasons why "Saltburn" is probably the best movie in Prime Video this 2023:
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Complex Story
The "Saltburn" narrative starts pretty simple. For a simple audience, it just shows how Oliver Quick was struggling to fit in at Oxford University. He was considered an outcast during his freshman year but quickly gained the sympathy of Felix Catton, who came from an affluent family. Their closeness and Oliver's story of not wanting to meet come home for summer led Felix to bring him home with him at Saltburn.
As Oliver gets acquainted with the peculiar characteristics of the Catton family, the story starts to get more complex. There are also narrations from Oliver which are from the present time, hinting that all the events in Saltburn are just flashbacks.
All-Star Cast Performance
"Saltburn" features an all-star cast starting with Barry Keoghan as Oliver and "Euphoria" star Jacob Elordi as Felix Catton. The affluent family of Catton is played by none other than Rosamund Pike as Lady Elspeth, Richard E. Grant as Sir James, and Alison Oliver as Venetia. In addition, "Gran Turismo" star Archie Madekwe plays Farleigh, Felix's cousin.
All of the actors were praised for their top-notch performance. Keoghan was applauded for his commitment to several chilling scenes in the film while the Catton family members had an award-winning performance for their dining table scene.
Cinematography
"Saltburn" is set in a castle and a big estate which reflects how wealthy the Catton family is. When cinematographer Linus Sandgren asked about her inspiration for the film, she described it as "tactile, sensuous, and erotic" with a vampire touch.
The film was shown in an unusual aspect ratio for modern films, which is 1.33:1, which intended to make "Saltburn" look like a painting. The shots were also designed to portray intimacy and provide a voyeuristic approach.
Madness of Reality
While Oliver did a lot of questionable things in the film, some people would empathize with his actions. Many fans were divided on how to feel about his character due to his elaborate intentions which were revealed by the end of the movie.
The truth is, there are people like Oliver and the Catton family in real life. Some people are pushed to do things to achieve their lifelong dreams, just like Oliver did.
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