‘Medusa’ Review: A Fantasy of Religious Hysteria in the Political Present
Dennis Harvey Film CriticBrazilian writer-director Anita Rocha de Silveira made a striking feature debut six years ago with “Kill Me Please,” a uniquely antic yet unnerving cocktail of adolescent sexual awakening, giallo thriller elements and art-house ambiguity. Its boldness extends to the slightly bigger canvas and slightly older heroines in “Medusa.” Again offering a queasily satirical take on matters of sex and violence among emotionally flammable youth, this sophomore effort adds a more explicit sociopolitical critique.The coiled-spring tension that kept “Please” taut despite its diffuse storytelling goes somewhat slack here, making for a less successful whole.