The Imperfect Perfection

The Perfection is yes, far from perfect, however so worth it. I know it’s cheesy, but it is how I’m feeling and let me tell you why. I got a little hint about watching The Perfection, on Facebook of course. One of the horror groups I’m involved in mentioned it. I looked it up, and decided right then and there, “why not?”. So, I get on Netflix and check out the film. Mind you, I have no idea what it’s about or who’s in it. I just know that it was recommended by a few horror fans. Yes, I’m expecting some gore, a disturbing plot, and a few twists. However, what I experienced was not even close to what I was expecting.

The film starts off showing the main character, Charlotte’s, background, and foreshadowing the fact that she will be returning back to her old life as a professional musician. Charlotte is then introduced to the new prodigy Lizzie, that replaced her when she went to care for her sick and dying mother. While hanging out at a party within the academy a man gets violently ill. They over hear that there is a contagious disease down south and that it could possibly be that. They brush it off and keep going about their business.

After a night of "binge drinking," Lizzie wakes up very hungover. Even after taking some medicine, Lizzie still feels terrible. They get something to eat, and then get on the bus for their trip. Lizzie is dehydrated, nauseous, weak, physical pain, and is burning up. Lizzie ends up getting violently ill on the bus and vomiting “bugs.” The driver ends up making them both get off the bus. Once they get off the bus Lizzie claims that she’s dying and that there is something inside of her. She then sees bugs crawling under her skin and continues to throw up bugs again. Charlotte then brings out a machete and tells Lizzie that she knows what she has to do. Lizzie chops her hand off in a panic.

The film then rewinds all the way back to the beginning of the day when Lizzie woke up “hungover,” revealing all the plot twists and turns. Next it is revealed how the academy has moved on to find their next musical prodigy after Lizzie and Charlotte disappear. Lizzie then, in the middle of the night, shows up at the academy. The academy leaders, Anton and Paloma, take her in and let her stay with them for a while. They then kick her out. Lizzie begs for them to let her stay, teach, clean, anything. They still refuse her and let her know that they have other girls to house, train, and invest in.

Lizzie then breaks into Charlotte’s home and gets revenge. She then kidnaps Charlotte and brings her back to the music academy. Charlotte then explains herself to Anton. She explains that she came back to help save Lizzie from him. It then shows a flashback of when she was a younger girl at the academy. It shows how when she made a mistake Anton would not only yell, talk down on her, and punish her, but also sexually abuse her as well. In current time Charlotte is forced to play a piece of music perfectly. Lizzie, along with the leaders, sit and watch in the audience. Anton tells Charlotte that if she achieves the perfection she can go. If she makes a mistake, he tells her, it won’t be her that has to pay the price, but the little girl who is the next young prodigy. Charlotte then beings to play the perfection. She completes it free of mistakes. The film rewinds again, this time to when Lizzie breaks into Charlotte’s house. Lizzie claims that Charlotte was right, and asks for Charlotte’s help to stop them all. Charlotte tells her she will help. The girls kill the remaining leaders. They cut off all of Anton’s limbs and keep him alive and hooked onto machines as they play for him. Both with one arm missing.

Okay, I have to be honest when it comes to the twists and turns in this film, some were predictable, while others really caught me off guard. Being a horror fan the twists were easy to catch on to for the most part. The film was very hyped on social media when everyone was just learning about it. The Perfection was being called the goriest, most unpredictable, and scariest film on Netflix. Of course, hearing all the rave about it, made me watch the film. Was I disappointed? No; however, I have to disagree on the comments and remarks made above. I would recommend this film to a lot of people. Yes, the film is slightly odd. However, going into it knowing that, will help your entire movie experience as a whole. I recommend watching this film with not expectations, but with curiosity. I also would love to hear your thoughts on it whether you’ve seen the film before reading this article or after. While The Perfection was not a horror film, it’s something I, as a horror fan, would recommend and even watch again.