Movie Review: “Saltburn” 

“Saltburn”, directed by Emerald Fennell, was released on November 17, 2023, with a running time of 2h 7m, it quickly made its mark on social media. The film stars Jacob Elordi, Rosamund Pike and Berry Keoghan who plays Oliver Quick, a student at Oxford who becomes fixated on fellow student Felix Calton (Jacob Elordi) and goes to incredible lengths to become close to him and his family. The film has made $20,977,621 in the international box office so far 

This thriller/comedy takes the viewer on an emotional rollercoaster from the very first scene to the end. As you follow the life of Oliver Quick, you watch as he goes from social outcast to a member of the ‘popular’ group of students in his school. But most importantly getting incredibly close to Felix Calton, a rich fellow student with a very high social rank who ends up inviting Oliver to stay the summer with him and his family at his home, “Saltburn.”

As Oliver quickly evolves to the lifestyle of the family he is staying with, we start to see a dark side of him that didn’t show as much while he was at Oxford. This dark side emerges in some of the more popular scenes that are going viral on social media such as, ‘the vampire scene’, the ‘bathtub scene’ and the ‘graveyard scene’. 

 The ‘bathtub scene’ helps the viewer see the intensity of Olivers obsession with Felix and the lengths he would go to feel closer to him. But because of its morally grey and unsettling aspects, this scene leaves the viewer very disturbed. The ‘vampire scene’ leaves the viewer just as disturbed and disgusted as you see the lengths Oliver will go to become close with the whole family, getting very intimate with Felix’s sister Venetia Calton, who is played by Alison Oliver.

Throughout the whole movie you watch as Oliver fights Farleigh, a cousin of the Calton family, who is played by Archie Madekwe. Both are trying to attain the favor of the father and stay close to the family. But because of lies told by Oliver a series of unfortunate events unfold leading to the most popular scene currently trending on social media which is the ‘Graveyard scene’. Fennell gave actor Keoghan free artistic license over this scene, and it turned out more disturbing than anyone could have imagined. He took the scene to another level of obsession over Felix causing the viewer to be greatly uncomfortable. 

I think this was a very well put together movie in terms of acting and the camera work, the landscapes throughout the film and how each shot was placed was very artistic and well put together. The actors went above and beyond to make this a special and different film that draws you in.

From Elordi’s presentation of Felix which made him very lighthearted and kind causing viewers to fall in love with his character, to Keoghan’s ability to improvise intense scenes that adds so much to his character and the movie.

I would warn anyone who is thinking of watching this movie to be aware of the many disturbing scenes that may leave the viewer very uncomfortable and put off, but if you look past the morally grey scenes then is a very well put together movie that is cinematically beautiful. 

Lilly Giger can be reached at [email protected]