Electra

Directed by Hala Matar, Electra is a bubblegum thriller about two journalists interviewing a rock star in Italy. Over the course of the story, we learn some dramatic secrets about these seemingly innocuous characters. Milo (Jack Farthing) is an Italian rockstar who is being interviewed by foreign journalist Dylan (Daryl Wein) and his girlfriend Lucy (Abigail Cowen). The trio goes to dinner at a fine restaurant, where the musician introduces the journalists to his mistress and lover. She’s a blonde performance artist named Francesca (Maria Bakalova).

However, as the nerdy, mild-mannered Dylan’s night with Milo goes on, there seems to be a different agenda on hand. The beautiful red-haired Lucy keeps referring to a pact she made with her significant other. Throughout the hour-and-29-minute runtime, secrets are revealed, trust is betrayed, and true identities come to light.

“…an Italian rockstar who is being interviewed by foreign journalist Dylan and his girlfriend…”

Visually, Electra is extremely pleasant to watch. It is an eclectic mixture of Old World classicism with a fashionable pop-bohemian style. Italian baroque frescoes, marble busts from Antiquity, Buddha statues, and obelisks fill the gorgeous scenery. The editing style is interesting, attractively wacky, and a bit too trippy all at once. Nice large text, displayed over freeze frames, gives us good exposition, which is a huge plus. The opera music that colors the audioscape pleasingly aids in the atmosphere.

On the downside, the drama is a bit slow and drawn-out. Individual sequences work but sometimes don’t push the narrative forward at all. However, bacchanalian scenes of drinking, dancing, impromptu theater performances, and erotic kissing (including girl-on-girl fun) all keep the movie consistently fresh. The ending takes a very shocking turn of events, culminating with a very satisfying climatic confrontation.

Electra offers a lively watch, even if it comes across as slow in some parts. The wacky-fun editing, flamboyant and colorful visuals, and expressively bohemian acting make this a solid film. The characters are very well-acted and well-written. This thriller is visually delightful, sexy and youthful, flashy and garish, while still being satisfyingly dramatic.