Frontier(s) (2007) Review
Written by: the5thdroog
How many reasons do you need to have to see a movie? I had plenty going in for this one. Not only was it the one that couldn’t be shown in theaters during Horrorfest, but there weren’t too many horror places I could go where this film wasn’t being mentioned if not raved about. This site included. Finally I got my chance. All the things you hear about this movie seem to be true.
This movie takes place outside of Paris, but it begins with a group of youngsters who took advantage of riots in the streets to make a big score. During the robbery though one of the members gets shot. He happens to be the brother of Yasmine (Karina Testa), who opens the movie by discussing the fact that she has a baby and fears bringing it into this world of chaos. She and her brother have made it back to the meeting point to figure out what to do from there. There is a lot of confusion on exactly the best laid plan, but it is finally decided that Yasmine will go with Alex (Aurelien Wiik), who is also the father of her child, but no longer an item, to the hospital with her brother. The other two will meet up with them at a place closer to the frontier.
The two who are looking for a place to lay low, come across a hostel in an isolated part of the countryside. They are greeted by a couple of women who seemed to do more than just turn down beds and cook for the guests. This soon becomes a known fact. Yasmine and Alex have to leave her brother, who has just died, at the hospital and make a hasty escape due to questions wanting to be asked about the nature of his wound. They are finally able to get in touch with the other guys and are told where to find them. After that call is made, the two find out that the service isn’t as friendly as they thought and that this isn’t quite the right place to lay low. Each are rudely introduced to some of the rest of the staff, family, and try and make their own escape. At the same time, Yasmine and Alex are fast on their way to this place that they are hoping to get some rest before discussing what to do next. There will be no time for discussion or rest if they plan on surviving the night.
The acting in this movie was very effective. Watching Testa, as she endured each of these nightmares and the way she transferred that emotion onto the screen can not go unnoticed. I still think something really bad must’ve happened to her while she was filming the movie, she was just that much “in the moment” if you will. The rest of the actors were equally as good, if not as powerful. It was truly grueling to watch. Good job.
Another thing you can’t get through this film without noticing, is all of the blood. There is a great abundance of savage wounds and fountains of blood, but it isn’t done in the humorous sense. I always have a thing about the Achilles tendon injury, but the way this one was done made me feel like limping a bit myself when I finally got up from my couch. Another plus for this movie.
I can’t say anything else that hasn’t already been said about this movie. I don’t usually get swept away with hype, if anything it usually detracts from a film, but I can’t ignore how good this movie is. I’m not quite sure why it didn’t get screened at Horrorfest and am a bit sorry for not getting to see it on the big screen, but just writing this review and revisiting some of those scenes in my head makes me want to go put in the DVD and watch this one again. The hype machine didn’t destroy this movie and it deserves anything good that is said about it.