Martyrs (2008)

Martyrs (2008)
Director: Pascal Laugier
Writer: Pascal Laugier
Cast: Morjana Alaoui, Mylène Jampanoï, Catherine Bégin, Robert Toupin, Patricia Tulasne
A young woman's quest for revenge against the people who kidnapped and tormented her as a child leads her and a friend, who is also a victim of child abuse, on a terrifying journey into a living hell of depravity.

France over the last few years has been one of the few countries that's refused to shy away from controversial film subjects. Thanks to the likes of Catherine Breillat,Philippe Grandrieux and Gaspar Noé its been one of the few places the Bush era Christian cinema clean up brigade hasn't managed to infect. Thankfully we can add Pascal Laugier to that list of incendiary directors. With Martyrs (his 3rd feature after Brotherhood of the Wolf and St. Ange) he not only chruns out another classy euro horror but almost single handedly gives the genre its balls back something in all fairness its lacked since the halcyon days of the 70s with films like the Exorcist. Martyrs subject is so bleak and hard going that few people I'd doubt will make it to its conclusion, but those who do will be in for one hell of a dark ride. Plots relatively simple its about a underground society that tortures and breaks peoples spirits to the point of them dying inside yet their bodies still living, this takes months of systematic dehumanising with the hope the martyr can reveal what happens during death. The film starts with a back-flash of Lucie an escapee that's partially been converted to the point she's hallucinating but still here in spirit. She's sent to an home where she's befriended by a girl who's similar age Anna. Cut to present and Lucie thinks she's found her tormentors and sets about getting closure to the horrors she was put through years before, this leads Anna to get involved also. Honestly bed wettingly scary film I'm sat here days after viewing thinking holy fuck what have I just put myself through. Rare a film has the impact to stick in your mind after the credits finish rolling let alone days after viewing. Everything about this film oozes class and sophistication the sets are glossy and expensive looking the acting especially from its two female leads Morjana 'Anna' Alaoui and Mylène 'Lucie' Jampanoï is jaw droppingly good, likewise is the nilistic graphic nature of the FX and make-up. I doubt I'll recommend a film as much this year but be warned its immensely bleak and disturbing. Pascal Laugier is being lined up to do Clive Barkers Cenebites justice with the Hellraiser remake I for one couldn't think of someone as fitting for the job. On the sader side Martyrs as been picked up by 20th Century Fox for the dreaded US remake.

(9 out of 10)

.French Trailer