The slow first two acts are a fairly bland main course (colourless cinematography and a lack of music don’t help) but in hindsight they do well in setting up the thrilling third act dessert with its deliciously sinister climax and brilliant cherry-on-top final shot (with ominous score icing): the women played with the polite man until his destructive patriarchal power emerged and threatened, and now the understanding of the titular character(s) is subverted. Kidman’s turn is a chilling standout.
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