Since the hit psychological thriller “Saltburn“ starring Jacob Elordi as Felix Catton and Barry Keoghan as Oliver Quick came out in theaters and now on Prime Video, it continues to be a ride. Felix, the charming, friendly, rich Oxford University student makes friends with outcast Oliver. The result of this unlikely duo has several jaw-dropping scenes for viewers.
As the movie unfolds, viewers are slowly made aware of something quite off with Oliver, but you just can’t put a finger on it. At first glance, it appears that Oliver is romantically infatuated with Felix; however, this is proven to not be the case at all. Something much more sinister is at play.
The movie transitions away from the boys being at Oxford University to the Catton family estate: Saltburn. Felix invites Oliver there for the break because Oliver tells him he doesn’t have anywhere to go. We are then introduced to the rest of Felix’s family: his mother Elspeth, his father James, his sister Venetia and his cousin Farleigh.
The members of the family slowly begin to drop off one by one. With certain characters, it is hard to see why. It is subtle in the beginning, with the mother’s friend Pamela, for example, who also briefly stays at Saltburn with them. However, over time, as more important characters begin to leave the estate, it becomes apparent that something is wrong.
Around when the audience realizes something is wrong, so does Felix. Oliver is dragged to his parents’ house by Felix, who found them thinking he is helping Oliver’s situation. It is then revealed that Oliver lied about almost everything in terms of his family.
When they return to Saltburn, this causes internal turmoil at the estate, with all people involved not fully addressing the situation. But Oliver, being determined to keep up with the lie and stay at the estate, begins to cause a dumpster fire in all the commotion.
After you might finally feel like it’s over and your brain is safe from the psychological torture that is this movie, evil does prevail. This might be the hardest part of the film to swallow and one that requires several hours after the movie to process. Not a single “good” thing makes it out, and the last picture we are left with is a naked body dancing all over the Saltburn estate.
While you might be thinking after all these descriptions that you don’t want to watch it, it is truly a thought-provoking movie. The last 45-ish minutes of the movie are the most captivating and sickening you will ever experience, and everything comes crashing down while the previous hour and a half of the movie’s dots all connect.
While the movie itself is a moral and psychological brainfuck, it still showcases several scenes that will make your jaw literally drop to the floor, such as drinking semen out of the drain of a bathtub, dry humping a grave naked, necrophilia and ripping a breathing tube straight out of somebody’s throat. It is insane how escalated things get.
The only thing to reveal without spoiling this movie is that you will feel nauseated the entire time. A unique aspect that keeps viewers engaged is the slow-burn feel. Something is off, but you’re not entirely sure what it is until it’s too late.
However, the real joy of the movie comes after watching it the second time.
Reach Caden Proulx at entertainment@collegian.com or on Twitter @CSUCollegian.
