Martyrs Review
Written by: JoeTerror
After briefly reading what Martyr’s was about and seeing all kinds of rave reviews on how brutal and disturbing this was I couldn’t wait to rush to the mall and pick this one up, sight unseen. Yea, I’m a sick puppy I guess, but have loved the new crop of horror films being released from our good friends on the other side of the pond. Anyway, all I can say is WOW! This is totally at the top of my list for sheer brutality and terror! I don’t even know where to begin but the film is still haunting me today. If a film can get under your skin, and this one does that and more, then it makes my list for sure. Much like À l'intérieur, Irreversible, and Requiem for a Dream, this movie is a total mind fuck you sure won’t forget! I also just read where France ’s Film commission actually gave it a 18+ rating which is pretty much a total ban. You’ve been warned.
On to the story. The film opens as a young girl, bloodied and half clothed runs screaming from what appears to be an abandoned warehouse and as the story unfolds we find out that Lucie (Mylene Jampanoi) was abused and was then hospitalized where she befriends another young girl Anna (Morjana Alaoui) who helps her overcome her fears and begin to function once again. Years later, with the help of Anna, Lucie decides to get her much sought after revenge on those who abused her.
This is pretty much all I knew of the story and let me just say, that’s just the tip of the iceberg! And just when I thought the movie was kind of coming to an end (and at the time I thought, hmmm, this seems kind of short) the film takes a twist I didn’t expect, and even yet another turn that kept me aghast and enthralled as to what was going to happen next as the girls spiral downward into complete hell. It blew me away as well as disturbed me. The cast is unbelievable and the two young actresses really must have been completely mentally drained after the filming. The violence is ultra real and horrific, and the effects were great. This is one of the best films I’ve seen recently that was original, graphic, and freaked me out. Great job Pascal!