Mia Gothhas established herself as one of modern cinema’s “Scream Queens.” Having starred in acclaimed horror films likeInfinity Pool, 2018’sSuspiria, and director Ti West’sXtrilogy (which ended with the 2024 filmMaXXXine), Goth now guarantees an audience in whatever film she appears. However,A Cure for Wellness, in which Mia had a leading role, hasn’t gotten the recognition it deserves since it premiered in 2016.
Directed by Gore Verbinski,A Cure for Wellnessfollows Dane DeHaan’s Lockhart as he tries to bring his boss back from a wellness center in the Swiss Alps, where he uncovers a dark conspiracy revolving around Goth’s mysterious character, Hannah.It’s an unnerving blend of Gothic mystery and psychological horror,and the talent behind the film and its tribute to classic horror, particularly Universal’s monster movies, make it a must-see for committed horror fans.
Mia Goth’s A Cure For Wellness Took Inspiration From Universal Classic Monsters
A Cure For Wellness Is A Terrifying Tribute To Horror Cinema In Its Many Forms
A Cure for Wellnessmay be inspired by Thomas Mann’s 1924 novel,The Magic Mountain, but the film makes it clear that it was influenced by severalclassic horror films from Universal.A Cure for Wellnessfeaturesits own “monster” in the form of Jason Issac’s character, Dr. Heinreich Volmer, who runs the wellness center. First appearing as a regular human seeking to help his patients, Volmer is revealed to be an evil, centuries-old scientist who kidnapped several local people and experimented on them to create a serum that provides long-lasting life. He also tried to use this serum so he could have a child with his sister to preserve the “purity” of their bloodline.
Why Mia Goth Plays Both Maxine & Pearl In X
Mia Goth plays both Maxine and Pearl in Ti West’s slasher movie X, as well as prequel Pearl, and her dual roles emphasize the horror’s core themes.
Volmer’s heinous, perverted actions and obsession with eternal life are reminiscent of Dr. Frankenstein. But having been burned alive for his actions by a mob of vengeful locals, Volmer hides his true green, scarred face, which looks like an amalgamation of Frankenstein’s Monster and Lon Chaney’s Phantom from 1925’sThe Phantom of the Opera.However, Volmer continues to experiment on his patients so he canlive forever with his daughter Hannah as his wife. His motivation from his twisted idea of love is similar to immortal monsters like Bela Lugosi’s Dracula and Boris Karloff’s Imhotep fromThe Mummy.
HowA Cure for Wellnesspays homage to these iconic monsters shows its awareness of the horror genre’s beloved tropes and traits. By recognizing these tributes to horror cinema, viewers can see the film’s creators know why these classics are frightening and why they continue to attract audiences after all these years. One can appreciate the film’s reverence for horror and how it takes all these iconic creatures to create a new, terrifying beast for fans to enjoy.
Why A Cure For Wellness Is Still Worth Watching (Despite Underwhelming Reviews)
A Cure For Wellness Is A Stunning and Frightening Gem Delivered By A Hollywood Icon
If Mia Goth’s presence inA Cure for Wellnessisn’t noteworthy enough, the film was also helmed bydirector Gore Verbinski. Verbinski made his mark in the horror genre with his modern classic,The Ring. He also cemented himself as a blockbuster filmmaker by directing the first threePirates of the Caribbeanmovies.Such a successful and influential directorbeing attached toA Cure for Wellnessalone makes it worth a watch, especially since Verbinski displays such love and respect for horror with the film’s references to the genre’s many other classics.
The film’s style sets it apart from the many modern horror movies that rely on jump scares to terrify audiences while still boasting some shocking and unsettling imagery.
In addition,A Cure for Wellnesseven boasts some eye-catching visuals and camerawork reminiscent ofStanley Kubrick’sThe Shining,whichalso presents itself as a slow-burn horror film. Such a movie doesn’t typically appeal to general audiences, which made it a major factor inA Cure for Wellness’s unsuccessful run in cinemas. However, the film’s style sets it apart from the many modern horror movies that rely on jump scares to terrify audiences while still boasting some shocking and unsettling imagery.
A Cure For Wellness Bombed - And That’s A Bad Thing
A Cure For Wellness is the rare mid-range budget studio release. That it’s bombed means we’re unlikely to see more movies like it.
All in all, Mia Goth’sA Cure For Wellnessdelivers a fresh but familiar tribute to horror classics. Since the film presents both gorgeous and shocking visuals, a legendary Hollywood director, and a terrifying and compelling villain, it deserves more than the divisive reviews and box-office bombing it received upon release.
