'Assassination Nation' film full of triggers
LOS ANGELES — "Assassination Nation" is trying to make you uncomfortable. The film even starts out with about a dozen "trigger warnings" previewing the horror that is to come in this internet age Salem witch trial about four teenage girls who become the enemies of an entire town when a hacker stars leaking individuals' information.
Morality, sexuality, female nudity, homophobia, misogyny, pornography, pedophilia, mob mentality and gun violence are just a few of the subjects and taboos addressed in writerdirector Sam Levinson's purposefully insane film. According to Levinson, it is simply about, "All the anxieties and pressures and fears of growing up in the digital age."
Out Friday, it's the kind of film that could become an instant cult hit, or the subject of outrage, but it's one audiences will want to discuss after. It's as provocative as it is divisive, but those who are on board are really and fully on board. Levinson said its unabashed outlandishness helped sell it to financers, even with its disquieting images and little-known cast.
"It's a terrifying script. Truly terrifying," said Odessa Young, the 20-yearold Australian actress who plays the lead character Lily. "You're meant to look at this as a mirror and examine yourself and examine the world that you live in."
Suki Waterhouse, 26, who plays one of the girls, Sarah, said some of her agents even cautioned her against doing the film. That made her want to do it even more.
"I don't expect everyone to like this movie," Waterhouse said. "I think some people are going to think it's exploitative or disturbing. But I love the juxtapositions of what people feel about it."
With a healthy buzz after its midnight premiere at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, Neon, which released "I, Tonya," and AGBO, a new production company led by "Infinity War" directors Joe and Anthony Russo, acquired it for $10 million, one of the biggest deals of the festival.
But the film has not been without its own controversies. Hari Nef, a 25-yearold American actress who plays the transgender character Bex, said that she thinks people are carrying prejudice toward the film because of the director.