Martyrs

         Welcome back to French Horror 101! This may be my last installment in this area for a bit, but Dave will soon have his review up of the film that started the “French Horror Wave”. Before I get started with my review, I must warn anyone that shows interest in viewing this film. This movie is heavy stuff. There is even an introduction by the director before the movie starts, warning viewers of what they are about to view. Granted you’re not seeing a snuff film, but you will see stuff that is highly upsetting. Now let’s take a look at Martyrs.

         Martyrs starts off with young Lucie, our main character who has been imprisoned and abused for some time, escaping her abductors. She is brought to an orphanage where she befriends Anna, our other main character. We get a glimpse into their friendship as children. It is apparent from the start and later on that Lucie and Anna are best friends, with Anna acting as a caretaker to Lucie. Fast forward fifteen years. Lucie discovers who her captors were and where they now live. One unlucky morning, the family is greeted by Lucie and her fully loaded shotgun. Lucie informs Anna of what she’s done, and the two try to make sense of the mess. During this whole time, Lucie is being attacked by a strange, vicious creature that hurts her physically. This has gone on since childhood, and continues throughout. Lucie confronts her demons and commits suicide, leaving Anna to pick up the pieces. She sticks around long enough to discover a very dark secret. This is where the madness goes into overdrive.

         Sound confusing? Well, it kind of is. There are a few different things going on at once, but they all come together to make sense. The thing haunting Lucie isn’t totally a subplot, but it is very evident for half of the film. The movie will make sense about midway through the film, then again at the end. The biggest aspect of Martyrs is that it transcends genres. This film is honestly as much a dark drama as it is a horror film.  You will be disgusted, pissed off, upset, and shocked at what you see in this film. But there is something much deeper lying beneath Martyrs. The underlying message will be what you make of it. This will definitely take a long time to sink in, and will probably keep you thinking about it for a few weeks.

         The tone of the film is total dread. You never know what is coming, but you feel like the outcome won’t be promising. The gore isn’t there for the sake of gore; this is one of the few instances where this is true in a film. Though, what gore you do get, it is done superbly. The cinematography is sweeping and luscious, while the score is very interesting, but works perfectly. The final thirty minutes of the film can be unbearable to watch. It’s a grueling experience, but it is necessary for the film. Overall, Martyrs is a horror masterpiece that truly transcends itself and becomes something larger. If you can tolerate the things you see in Martyrs, you will be paid off with an incredibly unique film experience. That is something that can’t be said of too many horror films of the last decade.

-Chris