With her Oscar-winning feature directorial debut, Promising Young Woman, writer/director Emerald Fennell established herself as a fearless filmmaker as she mixed enticing thrills with gut-wrenchingly real subject matter. Now with her follow-up, Saltburn, Fennell solidifies herself as a must-see visionary through the astonishing experience she provides.

Right from the very beginning, Fennell draws viewers into Saltburn with these mesmerizing shots and inviting narrative threads. As the film’s story of a lonely Oxford student named Oliver (Barry Keoghan) befriending a wealthy classmate named Felix (Jacob Elordi) unfolds, it’s hard not to become completely engrossed by Fennell’s craftsmanship. There are these gorgeous visuals that instantly catch your eye, and the cinematography from Linus Sandgren embodies this warmth that perfectly matches the budding connection between Oliver and Felix. Through some dazzling reflections and camera angles, Fennell makes Oliver’s attraction to Felix’s lifestyle totally palpable, and it’s what allows viewers to immerse themselves deeper into the early parts of the story.

The first act builds out Oliver’s perspective flawlessly. Every moment of him watching Felix and his friends from afar embodies that universal yearning for recognition, wealth, acceptance. From his first instance of seeing Felix, Oliver’s like any kid who wishes to be a part of the popular crowd, but the heightened wealth around him adds new, interesting social obstacles. Not to mention, Keoghan and Elordi deliver charming performances that have this irresistible pull. By the time Felix invites Oliver to his family estate – known as Saltburn – for the summer, you’re entirely under the spell of these two – especially Felix.

Yet, there’s still this underlying mystery that doesn’t go unnoticed and it’s where audiences will become more invested into this building friendship. Despite Felix’s undeniable charisma, it’s hard not to wonder if his companionship with Oliver is genuine or spurred by pity. Even Oliver’s intentions are wrapped in suspicion as there are scenes of him cryptically talking about his relationship with Felix that force you to question what’s real with him. With Saltburn, Fennell gets the wheels in your brain turning immediately and it’s what makes it a compelling watch from the start.

Then, when Oliver arrives in Saltburn and finds himself in this lavish new setting with Felix’s family, the film reaches a higher plain of excellence. The aesthetics and atmosphere of the titular estate are a pure feast for the eyes. Saltburn is the kind of place that feels larger than life and contains a personality of its own. It embodies this sense of historical and persisting wealth that’s equally seen in Felix and his family. But it also simply looks incredible, and viewers will be just as amazed as Oliver is as he traverses this extravagant world. From the seemingly endless halls filled with remarkable artwork to the stunning set pieces seen around the property, Saltburn has an otherworldly feel to it. Even when characters are just sitting around a dinner table talking, there’s a sense of affluence that consumes the entire scene. Plus, Fennell continues to utilize dazzling reflection shots and a stunning color palette to make a third act party scene a visual marvel.

Saltburn is immaculate in its design and Fennell’s vision for this world of wealth comes to life gorgeously. However, both the film and Fennell are at their best when the story and characters are front and center. As Oliver becomes more integrated into life at Saltburn, all the narrative strengths of the first act evolve and take thrilling, even hilarious new forms. With Rosamund Pike, Richard E. Grant, and Archie Madekwe all delivering satirical performances as different members of Felix’s family, there are comedic moments that further highlight the film’s depiction of the wealthy looking down on others. Madekwe is particularly entertaining as Felix’s cousin Farleigh and showcases a snobby demeanor and scathing line delivery that emphasizes why he’s a rising talent to watch out for. The entire cast of Saltburn is honestly fantastic as they’re able to hit a range of backhanded comedy and searing thrills that make the film endlessly engaging.

Then, just as viewers sink into the flow of Oliver keeping his head afloat, Fennell twists things through a power shift that’ll literally place viewers in a state of shock and awe. There’s a moment where Oliver starts to overstep some boundaries and to inject himself deeper into Saltburn. It’s honestly hard to fully get a read on him in these moments and his perplexing behavior is what makes him such a fascinating force throughout. From there, you start to realize what game he’s actually playing in Saltburn and it’s absolutely riveting to watch his every move. The more comical aspects of Oliver’s experience quickly turn into shock and sometimes unbridled horror – and it’s where the film is a complete surprise.

Fennell shows herself to be a master of reveals and twisty turns with how she crafts Oliver’s character arc. She expertly takes a seemingly quiet and innocent character and shows them to be someone much more sinister and calculated below the surface. Then as Felix fleshes out the truth about Oliver and his efforts to maintain his stature at Saltburn, his persistence takes a nasty form that’s captivating to watch. The film turns into this wild power shift that consistently turns up the heat and Oliver is at the center of it doing anything possible to gain ground. By the end, you’re just absolutely stunned by the fallout and blown away by how Oliver is so cold in his determination.

Plus, Keoghan just casually delivers the most enthralling performance of the year and showcases a more devious side to himself that culminates in one of the most compelling villain arcs of all time. There are also these thematically rich aspects about wealth influencing ignorance and Oliver’s desperation coming at the cost of morality that make Saltburn a meaningful cautionary tale on two fronts. Fennell’s storytelling is genuinely unmatched with Saltburn and the entire last stretch will be burned into everyone’s memory because it’s full of these remarkably gutting reveals and turns.

Saltburn is a top-tier film in every imaginable way as Fennell displays some phenomenal storytelling prowess and unleashes some mesmerizing thrills and deception no one is prepared for. Audiences will be thoroughly engrossed in its tale of hidden deceit from start to finish and come away beyond impressed by the award-worthy performance Keoghan delivers as well as Fennell’s unrivaled vision. Saltburn is easily the biggest must-watch of the Fall and has all the potential to be a highly touted crowd-pleaser.

Watch the Trailer Here: