The Substance

The Substance elicits a potent mix of emotional responses, primarily driven by its horror and dramatic elements. Audiences will experience significant Fear, Anxiety, and a sense of the Disturbing as the experimental substance leads to grotesque and unsettling transformations. This is compounded by Disgust at the body horror elements. Underlying these intense reactions are strong feelings of Sadness and Empathy for the protagonist's desperate plight as a fading celebrity, alongside a pervasive Melancholy reflecting on themes of aging and societal pressures. Curiosity and Anticipation are also present, stemming from the sci-fi premise of the mysterious drug and its unfolding consequences.